DNA Decodes: How Trump-Munir Bond Is Threatening China’s Influence In Pakistan

In today’s DNA, we analysed the unique and strategic equation between Trump and Munir, highlighting its broader geopolitical implications for South Asia.

Zee News Managing Editor Rahul Sinha. (Image: Screengrab from Zee News video)

US President Donald Trump is infamous for turning foes into friends and friends into foes in pursuit of a good deal. But every friendship has its limits and layers. When two individuals with differing status and worldviews appear unusually close, it often signals shared interests driving a strategic alliance. Such a bond has now emerged between Trump and Pakistan’s military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.

In today’s DNA, we analysed this unique and strategic equation between Trump and Munir, highlighting its broader geopolitical implications for South Asia.

#DNAWithRahulSinha #DNA #USA #DonaldTrump #USTarrif #China #AsimMunir @RahulSinhaTV pic.twitter.com/9Z4KTB0y6w

— Zee News (@ZeeNews) August 7, 2025

China’s Investment in Pakistan

China’s footprint in Pakistan is vast: bilateral trade stands at INR 19,000 crore; CPEC alone has drawn INR 54,000 crore (now stalled); the power sector has absorbed INR 28,000 crore across hydropower, coal, and LNG; infrastructure projects, including roads, railways, and ports, total INR 11,000 crore. Moreover, Pakistan imports 80% of its military hardware from China at subsidized rates. On top of this, China has extended INR 24,000 crore in loans, with interest repayments proving burdensome.

This heavy reliance has sparked fears that Pakistan could become a Chinese colony. In response, the US is working to bring Pakistan back into its strategic orbit. As Washington’s influence grows through Munir, Beijing’s grip weakens — a trend that has unsettled China. Frequent visits to Pakistan by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reflect these concerns. For China, the Trump-Munir proximity is a major red flag.

Further complicating matters, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s recent visit to Pakistan is seen as a backchannel effort — reminiscent of General Yahya Khan’s role in the 1970s — to broker US-Iran ties, with Munir again as the quiet mediator.

Munir Protecting US Interests

Beyond geopolitics, Munir is also seen as protecting Trump’s interests. During his White House visit, Munir handed Trump symbolic “balloons,” supported his Nobel Prize bid, and now oversees a major crypto deal involving the Trump-linked World Liberty Council worth INR 17,000 crore.

In return, Trump appears to be offering Pakistan strategic assurances. US military aid, reduced under Biden, has resumed, with INR 330 crore allocated for F-16 support. During Operation Sindhu, Pakistan received IMF relief worth INR 20,000 crore. Trump has also signed oil deals to support Pakistan’s exploration ambitions, even suggesting Pakistan could one day export oil to India.

The growing Trump-Munir axis marks a significant realignment in regional geopolitics. Trump’s quiet endorsement of Munir as Pakistan’s de facto leader signals a move that could reshape power balances in South Asia, particularly by sidelining China’s influence over Islamabad.