China is the #1 investor in Pakistan, and by extension of President Trump’s strategic decision to put Pakistan in the spotlight for supporting extremist elements within Afghanistan, China is also in the geopolitical spotlight. It’s a brilliant play by President Trump and Secretary Tillerson.

If there was no symbiosis between China and Pakistan, there would be no reason for China to have an opinion. However, understanding the nature of how their geopolitical ally has been called out, China is now exposed, and responds by trying to get the burden of responsibility removed from Pakistan.

BEIJING (Reuters) – The United States must value Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan and respect its security concerns, China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi told U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a phone call, according to Chinese state media.

China’s Foreign Ministry defended its ally Pakistan earlier this week after President Donald Trump said the United States could no longer be silent about militants using safe havens on Pakistani soil. (read more)

The Chinese regime is essentially defending Pakistan by saying the U.S. must accept that Pakistan has no choice except to be willfully blind to the cross-border Islamic extremism. Team USA is saying no to this acceptance.

President Trump has already made the case that all nations who do not support terrorism and extremism must “drive out” the underlying hate and ideologues who espouse it.

There’s no downside to Pakistan being directly linked to Afghanistan/Taliban, simply because Pakistan is directly FACTUALLY linked to Afghanistan/Taliban. Additionally, inherent in the Trump Doctrine of economics and trade used to secure national security objectives, there are going to be ‘winners’ and ‘losers’; ‘allies’ and ‘adversaries’.

In the BIG geopolitical picture people get nervous because Pakistan has nuclear weapons. Fair enough. However, Pakistan’s #1 economic ally is China. China has massive investments in Pakistan. China is attached to Pakistan. Both China and Pakistan have nuclear weapons. Dealing with China and Pakistan is congruent.

Meanwhile, India has nuclear weapons. Afghanistan’s #1 economic ally is India. India has massive investments in Afghanistan. India is attached to Afghanistan. India has nuclear weapons. President Trump is positioning India as a favored nation to the United States; and Trump is also accepting China and Pakistan are connected.

India, is massive economic leverage. India is nice; Pakistan – notsomuch.