China’s Ascendance in an Evolving Global Order: Global Aspirations, Regional Power Dynamics & Strategic Imperatives for Pakistan

China’s ascent as an economic power has transformed the dynamics of international system, wherein its widespread presence and hegemonic designs have been stimulating the norms of Liberal International Order (LIO). The concept of Industrialization as well as the Economic Interdependence has allowed China to not only modernize its domestic sphere, but has also led it to further its strategic hegemony in the regional and international order. Despite their outstanding difference, China presently remains one of the highest exporters to United States in terms of trade volume. Likewise, China’s BRI project has been signed by more than 138 states around the world; thereby ensuring its strategic hegemony in 2/3rd of the international financial landscape. Whilst Chinese ascendency and strategic rise in South Asian landscape is contested, yet it holds an extensive and widespread economic presence in the entire region. Pakistan maintains a cordial and amicable bilateral ties with China, since Chinese investment in CPEC projects as well as defence cooperation between the two sides has allowed them to diversify the extent of their relationship. Likewise, Pakistan maintains cordial ties with the United States; thereby mandating it to adapt Complex hedging strategy, with the objective of maintaining its relationship with both global powers. This tendency requires the policymakers and the leadership to envision the realms of international order through strategic foresightedness, whilst maintain politico-economic order domestically. This research study adapts qualitative method, while secondary sources have been consulted to gather the data. This research study concludes that Pakistan’s adaptation of hedging strategy with the objective of maintaining bilateral ties with China as well as the United States simultaneously remains effective in an international and regional order, conditional to its independent foreign and security policy, with strategic foresightedness and minimized debt entrapment.