On DW News, Ken Moriyasu explains why Pakistan positioned itself between Iran and the United States during the ceasefire negotiations. He also examines the growing importance of middle powers—what he calls “swing states." Moriyasu argues that, to counter China, the United States should pay attention to key land-based chokepoints across Eurasia, where these swing states hold significant geopolitical leverage.
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A truck drives through the Alataw Pass Comprehensive Bonded Zone in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Located in the Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture of Bortala in Xinjiang, the Alataw Pass borders Kazakhstan. (Getty Images)