Among Weibo users, this may rank as a first: #Trump Had Lunch With Pakistan’s Army Chief, Asim Munir, is trending and the range of comments and views being expressed vary widely.
“There are no free lunches,” went one post, “The US is reshaping the regional critical landscape” read another while a third had a sharp warning for India: “America is not your ally”.
It was also occasion to give ‘Iron Brother‘ Pakistan a pat on the back.
“Pakistan earned dignity through its actions with India and gained global respect… but Iran lacks that strength,” went one post.
Another argued that the lunch was intended to ensure Pakistan did not end up supporting Iran. A third indicated Trump’s worry over Pakistan selling or transferring its nuclear weapons to Iran.
A few netizens suggested that the US might be trying to gain insight on China’s military strength.
The comments circled back to the narrative building during Operation Sindoor and wondered “If India had won, would US still be so kind to Pakistan?” The Chinese narrative echoes the Pakistani narrative about it being the victor, and also questioned Washington’s reliability as a strategic partner.
But most of the posts and comments said Pakistan has gained strategic value after Op. Sindoor, which had helped it earn brownie points with the United States.
Many Chinese netizens called for a deep rethink about America’s real goals in the region. To them it was clear that the U.S. is making major geopolitical moves, and the region needs to stay alert.
