CASS Lahore hosts lecture on evolving global order and China-US reset

The Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS) Lahore held a guest lecture on 7 January 2026 titled “Evolving Global Order: China-US Reset”, bringing together academics, economists, and security experts to discuss shifting dynamics between the world’s two major powers.

Opening the session, Dr Ahsan Abbas, Director of CASS Lahore, said the changing global order demands a renewed approach to balancing competition and cooperation among leading states to safeguard international stability.

Former finance minister and noted economist Shahid Javed Burki described the transformation as fundamental, pointing to China’s rapid economic rise and state-led development model as a challenge to US dominance. He contrasted Beijing’s investment in technology with Washington’s reliance on market-driven mechanisms and strategic coercion, adding that Pakistan remains central to China’s long-term calculations. Burki stressed the need for Islamabad to maintain a confident partnership with Beijing while resisting external pressures and narratives that could undermine economic cooperation.

In his concluding remarks, Air Marshal Asim Suleiman (Retd), President of CASS Lahore, said the China-US relationship is the decisive factor shaping strategic, economic, and institutional trends in the twenty-first century. He noted that while rivalry is structural and enduring, cooperation in areas of shared interest remains essential for global stability. Suleiman also highlighted technology competition as a defining fault line, urging balance between security concerns and economic efficiency to prevent fragmentation of the global economy.

The event ended with an interactive discussion on Pakistan’s balancing policy between China and the United States, the future of CPEC 2.0, and the positioning of regional actors in an era of great power competition. Participants welcomed CASS Lahore’s initiative in fostering debate on issues central to national and global security.

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