We are a very cautious people. Pakistan, in part, is our ally. A very strong ally indeed.

But even when Pakistan had wished to request for it, we would have never sought that thing to happen. And there are reasons for us to be very practical.

1. We have many unfavourable neighbours. Pakistan is the only rare case along with Russia (recently), in which North Korea cannot do the same thing — that demonstrated backup for China. Because we live in a country where we
always mix with confidence, pride and fear thanked for our large border, we are aware such a move would let our String of Pearls to collapse.
2. We cannot risk for public health. China is still vulnerable to the second outbreak. Assisting Pakistan is a suicide since Pakistan’s healthcare system is poor compared to India, don’t say China. Who knows how many Pakistani soldiers
got infected but not reporting.
3. We sought to repress the nationalist movements by the Tibetans and Uyghurs; the Tibetans in the southwest are not very fond of China despite living inside since 1950, the Tibetans still keep the memoir of Dalai Lama alive by
generation. We are wary that Tibetans would disrupt us if we seek to move against India, which harbours Dalai Lama.
4. If we do it, it signals to South Korea, Afghanistan, Japan, Kazakhstan, Taiwan and Vietnam that China is deceitful and untrustworthy — they would form a shield that could threaten our desires.
5. Moreover, we are aware that Pakistan’s international image has been ruined by the discovery of Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad and how the US troops took him down. Previously, we blessed Pakistan in Afghanistan by backing the
Taliban in the shadow and this is the memoir the Afghans are still fresh with. So we would rather hope to de-fuel tensions and expecting possible political changes.
When we think of Pakistan, we tend to sympathize with them regarding border disputes with India because Pakistan has a smaller population and has harder times to battle internal instabilities inside Pakistan; but we emphasize the fact that India will stay here and
represent us a long term challenge because the Indians have moved very far, though still behind China. This makes Pakistan vital in our pivot to expand the influence with the One Belt One Road Initiative, given how India is sceptical of ours. By the way, I expect the
coronavirus outbreak might end in summer, so there is nothing much to tell from it.