Rare U.S., China Alignment Over Designation of Pakistani Separatist Group as “Terrorists”

Shen Shiwei is a Beijing-based media worker who frequently publishes commentaries in English on U.S. social media platforms like X.

The U.S. announced this week that it would designate the Pakistani separatist militant group The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its affiliate The Majeed Brigade as a terrorist organizations. The move was well-received in Beijing.

Monday’s decision by the State Department marks a rare point of convergence between the U.S. and China in South Asia, where both major powers are backing the Pakistani government in its longstanding fight against the BLA.

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