The book describes the central role played by the China-Pakistan axis in Asian geopolitics, influencing India and Afghanistan following the United States invasion, the threat of nuclear terrorism and the continent's new network of mines, ports and pipelines.

The book also describes a relationship increasingly shaped by Pakistan's internal strife and the dilemmas China faces between the need for regional stability and the imperative for strategic competition with India and the USA.

Yet he managed to loosen them up, at least enough.’ — Economist ‘This fascinating book disentangles the relationship between one of the oddest couples in geopolitics: an unpredictable Islamic republic and a communist state that has turned into a mixture of consumerism and authoritarianism.’ — Rana Mitter, Prospect Magazine ‘It is a work of stupendous research, rich in fresh insights.

Andrew Small shows that their rapprochement resulted mostly from a real political assessment of their common enemy, India, but that non material variables are back in the picture today because of the Islamist connection in the case of the Uighurs, for example.

But he supplements it with extensive interviews, and these paint a richer picture of Chinese foreign policy in motion.’ — Shashank Joshi, The Interpreter ‘It should be compulsory reading for anyone too carried away by the euphoria of warming U.S.-India ties and tempted to believe China can be nudged out of the picture.’ — Myra MacDonald, War on the Rocks ‘This is an excellent, succinct book, and written with great verve.