China’s Firm Support To Pakistan

Asem Mustafa Awan

Islamabad: China’s Vice Prime Minister He Lifeng has assured continued support for Pakistan’s development during his visit which is taking place in connection with the decade-long celebrations of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The declaration from the Chinese Vice Premier of standing with Pakistan through difficult times during a ceremony where President Xi Jinping’s message was also read is a clear indication that China holds Pakistan as a near and dear friend.

The message from the Chinese President stated that no matter how much the world situation changes, China will stand by Pakistan. Six memoranda of understanding (MOU) were also signed on the occasion.

President Dr Arif Alvi awarded Hilal Pakistan to He Lifeng during an impressive ceremony held at President House.

Pakistan has always prioritised friendship with China in international politics, trade and regional security, and this has been reciprocated in the same way.

Formal relations between China and Pakistan were established in 1950 when the Dominion of Pakistan severed diplomatic relations with the government of the Republic of China in favour of recognising the People’s Republic of China as the legitimate ‘China’. Since then, the two countries have lived together for half a century with common geopolitical interests.

The principle of peaceful coexistence is part of China-Pakistan foreign policy. In April 2005, these principles were codified in the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Good Neighbourly Relations between the two countries.

China and Pakistan are supporting each other in many fields, particularly defence, where projects like the JF Thunder fighter jet and K8 training aircraft top the list, among many others where collaboration is underway in space technology. Making Pakistan’s defence impregnable has been a mission of China, and it has solidified it on many occasions with advanced weaponry.

China, Pakistan and Afghanistan have also worked to increase regional stability, and former Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China wants to use Xinjiang as a base for economic development in the region, strengthening security and facilitating trade.

China’s leadership has praised Pakistan’s war on terrorism, particularly the elimination of Al-Qaeda, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, and the Turkestan Islamic Party (known in Chinese as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, ETIM).

Terrorists in Balochistan have carried out several attacks on Chinese interests in Pakistan which were thwarted time and again by Pakistani authorities. With Pakistan and China’s growing influence over Afghanistan, the defence significance of the Chinese Vice Premier’s visit comes to the fore as with increased terrorist activities faced by Pakistan, the arrival of the Chinese Vice Premier holds vital importance.

Gwadar is of vital importance to China as sixty percent of China’s petroleum needs are shipped from the Persian Gulf to Shanghai which is China’s only commercial port, and Gwadar can reduce the time and distance for China by manifolds.

The visit is aimed at reaffirming mutual cooperation and finding new ways as the obstacles hindering the road to prosperity between the two countries are hostile forces and internal corruption.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has great aspirations and wants Pakistan to progress, and all he has to do is remove the Chinese concerns so that the nation can march to prosperity.

The writer is a journalist based in Islamabad and writes on a wide range of issues.

The article is a personal assessment of the writer and it can be contrary to the editorial policy of the organization.