Chinese media blames India for Trump's decision over Pak aid

Beijing, January 9: Blaming India for Donald Trump's decision of denying financial aid to Pakistan, Chinese government run media said that the initiatives of India's recent foreign policy are only for the benefit of India and is something that leads to arguments.

Given this geopolitical scenario, Beijing thinks that Islamabad should change focus more on China and Russia. Pakistan's central bank recently announced that it will be replacing the US dollar with the Yuan for bilateral trade and investment with China. This announcement was made a day after Trump's tweet, suggesting a shift to China.

The Global Times editorial says China should provide qualitative and effective economic assistance and cooperation to Pakistan. The US State Department on Thursday said that it is suspending security assistance to Pakistan until Islamabad takes action against the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network, which Washington believes is destabilizing the region.

Recently, Donald Trump denied security related support to Pakistan for continuing harbour terrorists. The State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said a few months ago we announced the suspension of $255 million in the Foreign Military Assistance. That’s basically the money that we would provide to Pakistan but Pakistan then, in return, uses that money to buy equipment, military equipment, from the United States. That was all suspended.”

The State Department also announced that it had placed Pakistan on a special watch list "for severe violations of religious freedom," as part of its obligations under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, action that was unrelated to the decision on security assistance.