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Introduction
During the Cold War era, there were four main approaches
to maintain strategic security and stability. The important
factors that impacted the global security/stability included
balance of power, bipolar world, containment and deterrence.
The approaches maintained during the Cold War can be
traced back to the dominant theoretical traditions in
international relations and the continuing competition
between these different traditions.
Amongst them, one important approach is “containment
policy”, which means a policy of checking the expansion or
influence of a hostile power or ideology, by creation of
strategic alliances or support of client states in areas of
conflict or unrest. According to another definition,
containment policy is an act or condition of containing,
especially of restraining the ideological or political power of a
hostile country or the operations of a hostile military force.1
Military history defines containment as a foreign policy
strategy followed by the United States (US) during the Cold
War intended to check the expansionist designs of the Soviet
Union through economic, military, diplomatic and political
means. It was conceived by George F. Kennan soon after the
World War II.2 It was perceived that communist expansion
would allow the Domino Theory to take hold, meaning that if
one country fell to communism, then each surrounding
country would fall as well, like a row of dominoes. Thus, the
perceived threat ultimately led to the US intervention in
While both China and the US would like to see a stable and
secular Pakistan fighting against extremism and terrorism and
supporting both in their respective domains but the approach
seems different. Chinese support for Pakistan on the issue of
terrorism was firm and wholesome when it reacted on the
issue of the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden in the
garrison town of Abbottabad in Pakistan. China was the first
country that expressed support and attempted to rescue the
country from the current distress. Foreign Ministry
spokeswoman Jiang Yu remarked, “Pakistan has made very
important contributions in international counterterrorism
cooperation as well as rendered great sacrifices…Indeed,
Pakistan is a victim of terrorism.” Undoubtedly, one of the
most important aspects of their bonding is their mutual
interest in containing India and its influence in the region.30
As indicated above, while the Chinese seems more
cooperative and friendly, the US maintains a hostile approach
and wish to see Pakistan as a client state working in close
coordination with the US as well as with India. In author’s
considered views, any move that may bring Pakistan closer to
China beyond certain limits would be considered detrimental
to the US interests in the region and is likely to be dealt
aggressively in close coordination with its regional allies
including India and even Afghanistan.
The indicators are clearly visible where the intelligence
agencies of the US and its allies seem intimately involved in
Balochistan with a view to stop the Chinese access towards
2
Kennedy Hickman, “Containment: Military History”, http://militaryhistory.about.com
/od/glossaryofterms/g/Containment.htm, accessed on April 12, 2012; and
europeanhistory.about.com/od/glossary/g/glcontainment.htm, accessed on May 9, 2012.
3
Ibid.
4
encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Policy+of+containment , op.cit.
5
Gary E. Oldenburger, “The Cold War: The Geography of Containment” http://www.olden burger.us/gary/docs/
TheColdWar.htm, accessed on April 27, 2012.
6
Ibid
7
Gary E. Oldenburger, op.cit.
8
Abdul Sattar, “National Security Issues”, Margalla Paper 1/97; and Pakistan: NATIONAL AECURITY
(www.mongabay.com/reference/newprofil...), accessed on January 15, 2011.
9
Malik Qasim Mustafa, “MARITIME SECURITY: THE ROLE OF PAKISTAN NAVY”
( http://www.issi.org.pk/ss_Detail.php?dataId=372), accessed on December, 15, 2010.
10
Xiaosong Tang, “The Future role of the United States in the Asia-Pacific Region: Dead End or Crossroads?”,
Australian Journal of International Affairs (2011), 1-14
11
Ibid.
12
Gary E. Oldenburger, op.cit.
13
Royc Howle Jr, An Evitable War: Engaged Containment and the US-China Balance, US Parameters, Autumn
2001, 92-104.
14
Ibid.
15
S. Rajaratnam, “The South China Sea: Towards A Cooperative Management Regime”, (Conference Report,
Maritime Security Programme, School Of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore,
May 16- 17, 2007), 3.
16
Prof Alexey Pilko, “ America's policy of "containment of china", April 16, 2012 available at
http://www.globalresearch.ca/PrintArticle.php?articleId=30354
17
National Population Development Strategy Research Report of China 2011, http://english .people daily
.com.cn/ 200701/16/eng20070116_341721.html
18
White House paper 2012, “The U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement: More American Jobs, Faster
Economic Recovery Through Exports” available online at http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/email-
files/South_Korea_Trade_Agreement_Overview.pdf
19
Prof Alexey Pilko, “America's policy of "containment of china", op.cit.
20
Ibid.
21
Ibid.
22
Zhang Guihong, “US Security Policy towards South Asia after September 11 and its Implications for China: A
Chinese Perspective”, Strategic Analysis, Vol. 27, No. 2, Apr-Jun 2003, Revised paper received on May 6, 2003,
www.idsa.in/system/files/strategicanalysis_zguihong_0603.pdf, accessed on May 7, 2012.
23
Sujit Dutta, “CHINA’S EMERGING POWER AND MILITARY ROLE:IMPLICATIONS FOR SOUTH ASIA (
www.rand.org/pubs/conf_proceedings/CF137/CF137.chap5.pdf, accessed on May 6, 2012.
24
James M. McCormick, American Foreign Policy and Process, 3rd ed. (Itasca, Illinois: F.E. Peacock Publishers,
1998), 49-56
25
Zhang Guihong, “U.S-India Security Relations Implications for China,
www.satp.org/satporgtp/publication/faultlines/.../article2.htm, accessed on May 7. 2012.
26
Sujit Dutta, op.cit.
27
Kerry B. Dumbaugh, “Exploring the China-Pakistan Relationship: Roundtable Report, MISC
D0022883.A1/Final, June 2010, www.cna.org/sites/default/files/research/D0022883.A1. China-Pak.pdf,
accessed on May 9, 2012.
28
Ibid.
29
www.gov.cn statement on January 28, 2010.
30
Samarjit Ghosh, Aditi Malhotra, and Rohit Singh, “After Osama Pakistan’s Relations with the US, China &
India”, Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, IPCS Special Report 104, June 2011,
www.ipcs.org/pdf_file/issue/SR104-Final.pdf, accessed on May 9, 2012.
31
Ibid.
32
Zhang Guihong, “US Security Policy towards South Asia after September 11 and its Implications for China: A
Chinese Perspective”, Strategic Analysis, Vol. 27, No. 2, Apr-Jun 2003, Revised paper received on May 6, 2003,
www.idsa.in/system/files/strategicanalysis_zguihong_0603.pdf, accessed on May 7, 2012; Zhang Wenmu,
"Global Geopolitics and India’s Future Security", Zhan Lue Yu Guan Li Strategy and Management, June 2001,
43-52; Venu Rajamony, “India-China-U.S. Triangle: A ‘Soft’ Balance of Power System in the Making”, Center for
Strategic and International Studies Report, Washington, D.C., March 2002, 40; and
www.csis.org/saprog/venu.pdf.
33
Syed Shahid Hussain Bukhari, “India-United States Strategic Partnership: Implications for Pakistan”,
Berkeley Journal of Social Sciences Vol. 1, No. 1, Jan 2011, www.berkeleyjournalofsocialsciences.com/Jan
%204.pdf, accessed on May 6, 2012.
34
Zhang Guihong, op.cit.