It reminds me of the first visit
of the late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto to China in February 1972 where the foundation
of strong friendship was laid by him and it was the beginning of the road of
friendship. Both countries had since then built their ties selflessly at
diplomatic level and people to people. China came forward to help Pakistan on
the following occasions.
In Sino-Indian war of
1962, China joined hands with Pakistan against India. After one year of the
Sino-India war, Karakoram Tract was built to improve diplomatic relations
between China and Pakistan. Similarly as Pakistan opened way for China to the
West, it made Richard Nixon, the then US president to visit China in 1972.
China in return provided extensive economic aid and political support towards
Pakistan.
China helped Pakistan
in 1965 and 1971 wars when there was no hope of external support for Pakistan.
It provided a lot of military equipment to the Pakistan Army, helped in
establishment of factories, provision of technological facilities as well as
financial support. With the rise of China’s status, it continued to take along
younger brother Pakistan and helped it in developing its civil nuclear power
plants and is still helping it to overcome energy shortage in the country.
China also gave technical and material support in completing, Chashma power
plant which is very vital to Pakistan. Late in 2010, China donated $260 million
dollars to the flood-hit areas of Pakistan. Other than that, China has always
and is still helping Pakistan economically and in many development sectors.
We have experienced that
the Chinese have a lot of respect for Pakistan in their hearts. The leadership
of China played a key role in joining hands with the then president Asif Ali
Zardari to enhance the economic ties and in fact it was the then president
Zardari who worked hard to enhance the ties between the two countries by
providing number of opportunities for Chinese public and private sector. After
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the only leader who appeared to have a fair understanding
of the need for strengthening economic ties with China was the then president
Zardari. He also knew that in order to maintain economic and strategic
connectivity with South Asia, China required a safe passage through Pakistan.
This had acquired greater relevance after China became the second largest importer
of oil in the world. On the strategic front, the Chinese dream of getting a
foothold in the Indian Ocean, without having an aircraft carrier got fulfilled
with the development of the Gwadar port.
The initiative taken
by Mr Zardari, which has now been named as CPEC, would help not only stabilize
Pakistan but also the whole region including Afghanistan. The CPEC’s total
worth is around $46 Billion, which is meant for collection of infrastructure
and energy projects. The project initially was launched in 2015. After the
completion of the project, the 3,000-km network of roads, railways and
pipelines will link western China to Southern Pakistan.
The CPEC is a part of
Chinese President Xi Jinping's Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Maritime
Silk Road projects, two development plans that seek to deepen Mainland China's
economic cooperation with a number of Asian and European countries. The
corridor will pass through Baluchistan province making employment opportunities
available for the Baloch youth.
Pakistan's motivation
for investing in the project is two-fold: it hopes that the CPEC will brace
economic development and stimulate energy production. Moreover, $35 billion
will be invested in coal and LNG-based thermal energy projects in Pakistan.
More than 17,000
Pakistani security personnel have been tasked with providing protection for
Chinese nationals in Pakistan. It was reported in April than Pakistan was set
to deploy an additional 4,000 personnel to provide security for Chinese
nationals working on the CPEC - amongst other projects - in Punjab province.
Pakistan and China will monitor the progress made on CPEC projects using a
satellite, which is set to be launched in June 2018.
It is road to progress
and peace as it is going to be source of employment for youth, which will be
helpful to de-radicalize the misled youth. Both countries are facing terrorism
from Talban and ETMI.
The upcoming role of
China in the region has started unnecessarily pinching India and some in West.
India is seemingly taking help from USA against China. USA will support India
by providing arms and ammunitions& Ariel defence capability. It can also
influence other countries to support India against China and Pakistan as USA
sees China as competitor in the race of global superpower.
China recently
defended Pakistan openly against Donald Trump’s criticism against the country
and recent threat to Pakistan. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reaffirmed
Beijing's support to Pakistan. It was very timely support to Pakistan.
Spokeswoman Hua Chunying asserted that Pakistan was on the front line in the
struggle against terrorism and had made "great sacrifices" and
"important contributions" in the fight against terrorism. Chunying
called on the international community to recognize Pakistan's role in the fight
against terrorism.
In the emerging
situation in South Asia because of extra ordinary interest of USA and unusual
interference in the region, it is forcing a new potential regional alliance of
Pakistan, China and Russia to counter USA in this region. It has been seen in
recent months that Pakistan, Russia and China are one step closer to
formalizing their alliance, with other nations – like Turkey and Iran – aimed
at joining the superpower triangle.
Pakistan and Russia
are likely to become part of an alliance with China in view of the present fast
developing regional situation. Islamabad and Moscow’s decades-long rivalry
during and after the Cold War has already come to end. The Pakistanis and
Russians relations in fact were improved during the visit of Mr Zardari as head
of the state to Russian and subsequent number of bilateral meetings between Mr
Zardari with senior leadership of Russia. The writer was eyewitness to these
very cordial and result-oriented interactions.
These interactions and
consistent efforts have resulted in active engagements of three countries,
which will further bring qualitative diplomatic change and strong defence
protection for this volatile region and it will also block undue interference
in this region by USA.
China and Pakistan may
possibly form a superpower circle with specific agenda and I further propose
that there should be China-Russia-Pak nuclear club with well-defined mandate
for the ultimate regional betterment and prosperity of the masses, which is the
need of the time. I am confident that it will happen in the larger interest for
the peaceful world.
China performed to
rise as economic leader which has dismayed many and this US-China Cold War will
further step up in future. There is no doubt that China can act as balancing
power to block any US venture in South Asia and triangular understanding of
above alliance can play its very positive role. There is no doubt that China
has gradually emerged as one of the influential world leader with its skilful
and carefully designed policies. This success of China is dedicated to the
wisdom of successive Chinese leadership and hard work of Chinese people.
It is matter of public
record that even China has tried to play significant role to bring Afghan
Talban on the table with present and past Rulers of Afghanistan where even USA
had its presence in these meetings. There had been collective efforts from many
States including Pakistan. All the stake holders should make yet another effort
and let it be led by China to resolve the internal conflicts in Afghanistan and
Pakistan will continue to support this peace initiative as Pakistan believes
firmly that peaceful Afghanistan means safer Pakistan.
The role of China has
always been very pragmatic and friendly to the world. We Pakistanis are proud
of Chinese friendship and we are very proud to see the economic growth of China
and its unmatched rise in the international community.
Pakistanis say from
the depth of hearts "THANK YOU CHINA" for supporting us in these odd
moments. We feel your success is our success and your enemies are our enemies.
We have one voice today "well-done China". May God bless our Sino-Pak
friendship. Pak-Cheen Dosti Zindabad
The article has been published in ‘The news international’ September
2, 2017
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