It must be a tough week at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On one side, Pakistan — the legendary Iron Brother (巴铁).
On the other, Afghanistan — the promising partner in China’s grand Belt and Road dreams.
When your best friend fights your new investment, which one do you call “mutual respect” and which one gets “strategic patience”?
State media must be drafting both versions of the statement at once —
“We call on both sides to exercise restraint…”
and
“China firmly supports its partner’s sovereignty…”
— ready to press send on whichever turns out to be more profitable by morning.
It’s not easy maintaining harmony when your friends keep shooting at each other.
But if anyone can find balance between iron and opium routes, it’s China’s foreign policy department — the true masters of ambidextrous neutrality. 🇨🇳🕊️
