 China was supportive of PIA’s proposed route but Japan did not agree, apparently under US pressure.Pakistan’s civil aviation route proposal was actually a step toward Sino-Japanese rapprochement, which Japan did not appreciate, thus creating cracks in Japan–Pakistan relations and pushing more Pakistan towards China and mending fences with Eastern Bloc countries sourced by the Cold War activities.Nevertheless, Pakistan remained high on the Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) program and received around 18 percent of assistance disbursed during 1961-71.