Pakistan, a long-time ally of China, is secretly developing trade ties with Taiwan, according to an Indian media report.

A meeting was held on Wednesday between Sidrah Haque, a trade and investment representative of Pakistan’s embassy in Egypt, and Michael Yeh, Director of Taiwan’s Trade Center in Cairo, ANI News reported.

“We spoke of Pakistan-Taiwan trade ties, our shared commercial experience in Cairo and major products of interest in the local market,” Haque said in a tweet about the meeting, which was subsequently deleted, ANI reported. “Always feels good to connect with other trade wings and compare notes,” the tweet said.

Islamabad is “showcasing its duplicity,” the report said, as it has long been known as one of Beijing’s closest allies.

The south Asian nation was also one of the first countries in the world to recognize the People’s Republic of China after the Communist Party took over the mainland in 1949. Following its defeat, the Kuomintang regime that once ruled the nation in the name of the Republic of China retreated to the island across the Taiwan Strait.

Beijing claims sovereignty over Taiwan under its “one China principle.”

In 2019, Pakistan imported US$626 million (HK$4.85 billion) from Taiwan; Taiwan’s imports from Pakistan stood at around US$100 million.

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