World Witnessing Geo-political Competition Between US, China: KU VC

Vice Chancellor, University of Karachi, Dr. Khalid Mehmood Iraqi on Wednesday said that today the world was witnessing a geo-political competition between United States and China

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Feb, 2021 ) :Vice Chancellor, University of Karachi, Dr. Khalid Mehmood Iraqi on Wednesday said that today the world was witnessing a geo-political competition between United States and China.

Addressing as a chief guest at a seminar "Emerging Geo strategic Contestation in Asia-Pacific: Challenges and Opportunities for Pakistan" organised by the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs (PIIA), he said that experts on international relations termed this power struggle as new cold war, though different from the previous one between US and Soviet Union.

Dr. Khalid Mehmood Iraqi said this cold war was different in terms of nature and theatre. In term of nature the war was no more about capitalism versus communism and in term of theatre it was no more about Europe, it was about Asia, the South East Asia and this region particularly. There was change in term of nature and in term of theatre.

He said that the definition of power globally had changed. Now the power was on the basis of economic strength rather than the nuclear bombs or the weapons. China and USA were the major competitors in the global market.

The vice chancellor said that the race was about more economic opportunities. The Americans were making alliances with India, Japan, South Korea, Philippines and Australia.

They were increasing their naval power, naval strength.

He said that recently a quadrilateral agreement between US, India, Japan and Australia had been signed and then they had Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) which was an American initiative to protect their interest.

The KU VC said that foreign policies were not formulated on the basis of public opinion rather they were formulated on the basis of rational and reasons.

Discussing the options to protect Pakistan's national interests, he said the One Belt One Road initiative under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) should be the focus as it provided connectivity and opportunity for more economic collaboration with other nations.

Dr Khaild opined that Pakistan could play a important role in this region in terms of Afghan peace talks. "We have been in front in confronting the terrorism in this region. Peace in Afghanistan is directly linked to peace in Pakistan and the peace in the region as well."Earlier, the seminar was also addressed by chairperson PIIA Dr. Masuma Hassan, Ambassador Salman Bashir, Adviser and Honorary Fellow, National Centre for Maritime Policy Research, Bahria University Rear Admiral (Retd.) Pervaiz Asghar, Ambassador Syed Hasan Habib, Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad and others.