Pakistan is increasingly leaning toward the United States after being left disappointed by China’s military equipment and the debt-heavy China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), according to a new report.

Citing a Maldives Insight analysis, the report noted that Beijing has saddled Islamabad with unsustainable debt under CPEC while providing weapons systems of “questionable efficacy.” Pakistan’s external debt stood at $130 billion in 2024, with $29 billion owed to China, making Beijing its largest bilateral creditor. To manage repayments, Islamabad has sought multiple bailout packages from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which is heavily influenced by Washington.

In 2024 alone, Pakistan secured a $7 billion IMF package, with $1 billion already disbursed under the Extended Fund Facility. Despite these funds, CPEC projects have failed to ease economic burdens. Power tariffs remain high, fishermen have lost access to Gwadar’s resources, and Chinese firms continue to charge capacity payments even for unused electricity plants. Meanwhile, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has escalated attacks on Chinese workers and installations.

On the defense front, Chinese systems like the HQ-9 and HQ-16 surface-to-air missiles, along with J-10C and JF-17 fighter jets, failed to protect Pakistan during clashes with India, exposing critical vulnerabilities. Analysts say Islamabad is now seeking to re-engage Washington for more reliable weapons.

The report also said Beijing is alarmed by Pakistan’s growing bonhomie with the US, particularly as Washington opposes Chinese military ambitions at Gwadar Port. In fact, Pakistan reportedly blocked a planned Chinese naval visit to Gwadar in 2023 under US pressure.

Observers suggest this shift could strain Islamabad’s “all-weather” partnership with Beijing, with far-reaching implications for regional geopolitics.