Another iron curtain

The world is seemingly moving towards another cold war. The AUKUS – formed by the three big powers Australia, UK and the US – is a military bloc purely aimed at diminishing the influence of China, especially in Asia. The US is also trying to convince anti-China regional states like Japan, South Korea, India and Taiwan to join the alliance and raise a strong bloc against Beijing to destabilise it economically and militarily. But China, on the other hand, has no aggressive designs to polarise the regional scenario or lock horns with the United States over insignificant issues and wishes to continue with its policy of 'strong economy guarantees a prosperous and vibrant future.'

Washington is also conspiring to trap Chinese allies, including Pakistan, in one issue or other and force them to stay away from any alignment with China. The current bill tabled in the US Congress is also an attempt to rag Islamabad for its pro-China policy. The possible emergence of the new cold war in the world may weaken regional associations, including BRICS, Saarc, ASEAN etc and divide the entire world once again into two major blocs headed this time by Washington and Beijing. But this war may not be like the one fought between America and the then USSR on the soil of Vietnam and Afghanistan. Nonetheless, any conflagration in the region between the two superpowers will be disastrous to regional peace and stability and is likely to drag down the developing states.

Guldar Ali Khan Wazir

Zhob