THIS week, the acronym FOMO (fear of missing out) may find itself elevated to the esoteric jargon of foreign policy. This is because there are few better ways to describe what Pakistan’s leaders must be feeling as their most strategic allies meet in Beijing without their presence. It will be sobering to realise how little the much-touted US-China meet planned for later this week involves them. There are lessons for us.

The meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping — if it goes ahead as planned, which is certainly not guaranteed — is a good reminder of the pitfalls of strongman politics. Washington and Beijing know that irrespective of how much planning and strategy goes into preparing for the interaction, the actual outcome depends entirely on how the two men perceive the meeting to have gone. Will Trump get the “big, fat hug” he wants from Xi? Will Xi get to nuance American rhetoric as he wants? Will the menu be well chosen, projecting Chinese cultural sway without overwhelming the American palate? Any perceived slight by either leader could lead to a fraying rather than consolidation of US-China ties.

This recognition should inform how Pakistan is thinking about its newly fortified........

© Dawn