Democratic ruse?

The US has recently hosted a virtual ‘Summit for Democracy’ inviting over 100 world leaders to discuss “challenges to democracy [and] universal human rights” and to stand up to ‘autocracies’. So far so good. But as these things usually pan out, rather than promoting lofty ideals, these events are used to pillory geopolitical rivals. This suspicion has been confirmed as the US has not invited China and Russia to the event. While Pakistan was invited, this country decided to skip the event apparently to express solidarity with Beijing. In a carefully worded statement, the Foreign Office said Pakistan would engage with the US on the issues concerned “at an opportune time”. Moreover, Prime Minister Imran Khan, without mentioning the summit directly, touched on the issue while speaking at an event in Islamabad when he said that this country did not wish to join any blocs and instead wanted to “bridge gaps” between Washington and Beijing.

Pakistan has done the right thing by diplomatically excusing itself from the conference that is clearly designed to make China and Russia look bad. While some have argued that it will give India an advantage, Pakistan needs to send a clear message that it stands by time-tested friends like China. While the Pakistan-US relationship is important, the Sino-Pakistan bond is a much stronger one with political, strategic, military and economic dimensions. China has come to this country’s help in difficult times, and we should stand by the People’s Republic when attempts are being made to isolate it internationally.

Unfortunately, the US ‘crusade’ against autocracy, and its battle to fly the flag of democracy high amongst the comity of nations, appears to be hollow. After all, while it has snubbed China and Russia, it invited India and Israel to the summit.

Both these states have indulged in patently anti-democratic behaviour — India in occupied Kashmir and with its Muslim minority, Israel with its brutal treatment of the Palestinians. Yet they are being feted as the champions of democracy by the Biden administration. This charade needs to stop.

Rather than cornering Russia and China, the US should have invited both states, and its other geopolitical rivals, to frankly discuss concerns at the summit, and listen to their points of view. The era of hectoring others and forcing them to accept the Pax Americana is over, and nations will no longer take diktat from Uncle Sam. This needs to be realised by the movers and shakers in Washington.

Again, Pakistan must reiterate the fact that it will not sacrifice its cherished relationship with China, while it strives to improve relations with all others, including the US. As the UN secretary general has noted, a “new Cold War” is brewing between China and the US, and Pakistan must navigate these choppy waters wisely.