THIS refers to the news report ‘China to leapfrog US as world’s biggest economy by 2028’ (Dec 27). It was reported by a think tank, the Centre for Economics and Business Research, that China would overtake the United States to become the world’s largest economy by 2028, five years earlier than previously estimated due to the contrasting recoveries of the two countries from the pandemic.

The contrasting average economic growth rates for China and the US suggest that China is bound to overtake the US as the global economic power and it will continue in that position for a good number of decades.

Till that happens, the economic rivalry between the two countries is going to speed up all dimensions of US-China political, military and strategic rivalry over the world, particularly in South Asia.

What does all this mean for Pakistan? Our political parties, the establishment, the media, the well-heeled elite and the think tanks should reflect and re-assess our policies to deal with the emerging multi-faceted challenges as both US and China are important to us.

Abbas R. Siddiqi
Lahore

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2021