Pakistan’s powerful army chief Asim Munir is on a five-day visit to Washington to deepen ties with the United States—even as Islamabad moves forward with landmark Chinese weapons deals and cements its position as Beijing’s closest military ally in South Asia.

Munir Meets Trump Amid Regional Volatility

Field Marshal Munir, now the most influential figure in Pakistani politics and security, is expected to lunch with President Donald Trump. The rare one-on-one meeting follows renewed regional instability driven by the Iran-Israel war and coincides with mounting U.S. concerns over Iranian missile activity near Pakistan’s western borders.

“This will play out as Trump considers how to address a rapidly escalating new war on Pakistan’s doorstep,” said Michael Kugelman of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.

U.S. Counterterrorism and Economic Links Remain Strong

Despite Trump suspending military aid to Pakistan in his first term, relations have rebounded. CENTCOM chief Gen. Michael Kurilla praised Pakistan’s military as a “phenomenal partner” in countering ISIS-K, and Islamabad was recently thanked for delivering a suspect linked to the deadly 2021 Kabul airport bombing.

Pakistan is also lobbying for U.S. support in its $7 billion IMF program and to avoid looming U.S. tariffs of up to 29% on its exports.

China Still Pakistan’s “Strategic Priority”

Even as Munir seeks closer ties with Washington, Pakistan continues to deepen military and technological cooperation with China. A now-deleted government post revealed a pending deal for 40 Chinese J-35 fifth-generation stealth fighters and radar systems, potentially arriving by 2026. If delivered, they would be the first such jets in South Asia.

Experts say this underscores Pakistan’s role as China’s most important defense ally. “It was a live display of what ‘all-weather’ friendship means,” said Andrew Small of the German Marshall Fund.

A Balancing Act Amid Geopolitical Rivalries

Pakistan’s strategic geography forces it to walk a tightrope between U.S. and Chinese blocs. While Islamabad welcomed Chinese mediation in Afghan talks and deepened ties with Tehran before the Israel-Iran war, it now seeks to assure Washington of its reliability.

“There is no equivalence in Pakistan’s relations with the U.S. and China,” said former Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi. “China meets both Pakistan’s economic and defense needs.”

Munir’s Washington Pitch: Crypto and Minerals

In remarks to the Pakistani diaspora, Munir said Pakistan is ready to collaborate with the U.S. on cryptocurrency regulation and offer major mining opportunities in Balochistan. He projected that U.S. investors could earn up to $15 billion annually for a century by tapping into Pakistan’s vast mineral resources.