Pakistan-China Ties Mark 69 Years of Concord, Cooperation and Connectivity

Reflecting on the monumental journey traversed by Pakistan and China over the past decades calls to mind the Chinese proverb “finding a soul mate who knows one’s heart is far harder than striking gold.”

On the international stage, where ceaseless change is the only certainty along the long road to harmonious interdependence, I marvel at the wisdom of successive generations of our two nations in forging a bond stronger than steel, and bequeathing this invaluable legacy to those to follow. Our forebears have done well by us.

The genesis

In 1950, Pakistan became the first Muslim country to recognize the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The establishment of diplomatic ties followed a year later under handwritten instructions from Chairman Mao Zedong to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The first high-level contact, between Pakistani Prime Minister Mohammad Ali Bogra and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai on the sidelines of the Bandung Conference in Indonesia in 1955, initiated a tradition of frequent exchanges that endures to this day.

Premier Zhou visited Pakistan a record four times, a feat in bilateral relations reflected in the name of the main avenue running through Islamabad’s diplomatic enclave. In Beijing, Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was the last visiting foreign leader received by Chairman Mao in May 1976, despite his frail health at the time.

In April 2015, President Xi Jinping paid a historic state visit to Pakistan, elevating the Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and giving further impetus to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as the flagship project of his visionary Belt and Road Initiative.Prime Minister Imran Khan has paid three visits to China since taking office in August 2018, each time taking Pakistan and China further along the road to a closer community of shared future in the new era and adding further substance to the depth and breadth of the cooperation.

The high-level contact between Pakistan and China goes far beyond symbolism or rhetoric. It underlines the unshakable trust and understanding that is the hallmark of our relationship, and the consensus of our leaders provides essential guidance for continuing along our shared path toward the common goals of peace and prosperity.

The Pakistan-China friendship is based on mutual respect, enabling it to withstand the vicissitudes of history and grow irrespective of international, regional and even domestic developments. The seeds sown and tended by successive generations of Pakistanis and Chinese have thus bloomed into the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership that we have today, enjoying broad-based support from all segments of society.

At a time of a profound transformation in the international system and unprecedented challenges for humanity, the continuing vitality of Pakistan-China relations is a stabilizing influence in the region and beyond.

Following decades of economic revitalization and guided by her longstanding principles of mutual respect, equality and win-win cooperation, Pakistan sees a stronger China as a force of good in the world. China, in turn, sees a strong, safe and prosperous Pakistan as a source of strength and stability.

Standing together

After the novel coronavirus outbreak was first discovered, China implemented the unprecedented lockdown of the hardest-hit province of Hubei, especially Wuhan as its capital. While others withdrew their citizens from the affected areas, Pakistanis there stayed put. We have thus chronicled first-hand the heroism of the Chinese nation, and especially of the people in Wuhan and Hubei, and are proud to have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with them during this difficult time.

At the height of the pandemic in March, Pakistani President Arif Alvi arrived in Beijing with the singular purpose of expressing solidarity with China in its people’s war against the disease. Speaking of Pakistan’s assistance for China, President Alvi said Pakistan did not need a back-up plan for its friendship with China.

Reciprocating that sentiment, President Xi recalled the Chinese proverb that fire is the test of gold. Throughout the global ordeal, Pakistan and China have withstood all trials, reinforced the mutual confidence of both peoples, and provided an example for the rest of the world.

With the virus finding its way eventually to my country, China’s assistance has been both timely and generous. From medical teams to ventilators to personal protection equipment, a sustained air bridge between our two countries has ensured that supplies reach those who need it on the frontlines.These flight operations are living up to our forebears’ legacy: Pakistan’s national airline was the first outside the Soviet bloc to fly to China at the height of the Cold War. In 1971, it was Pakistani diplomats and aircraft that ferried then U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to Beijing for that fateful meeting with Chinese officials that set the stage for then U.S. President Richard Nixon’s historic visit the following year. During the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003, Pakistan International Airlines continued to fly to Beijing. The lesson from history is clear: Pakistan would never let China face difficulties on its own.

Shared responsibility

Faced with the novel coronavirus pandemic that respects no borders and makes no distinctions between nations, Pakistan deplores efforts to politicize the issue and stigmatize China. Rather than a witch hunt, Pakistan wishes we seize the opportunity for forging stronger mechanisms for cooperation. Such calamities will recur in the globalized world and we have a shared responsibility to ensure we are prepared.

As the world recovers and we set about restoring normalcy, China’s principled approach and dignity in the face of antagonism will serve as a stark contrast to the behavior of others.

Amid shrill warnings of deglobalization, trade conflicts and decoupling, China’s experience in fostering greater cooperation and connectivity promises a far more attractive alternative for the world. Seven years after its unveiling, the Belt and Road Initiative has made considerable progress toward our shared vision of the future.

In Pakistan, its signature project, the CPEC, has steadily delivered tangible results and directly benefited the local people. The 3,000-km corridor starts from the city of Kashgar in northwest China and terminates at Gwadar in southwest Pakistan, connecting the overland Silk Road Economic Belt with the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road.

The CPEC and the broader Pakistan-China economic partnership have infused renewed vitality into our socioeconomic development in the short span of a few years. The focus of the CPEC’s early-harvest phase on energy and transportation infrastructure has set the stage for Pakistan’s economic revitalization through efficiency of communications, removal of bottlenecks and creating a conducive business environment through the development of industrial parks and special economic zones.

This industrialization drive will not neglect the traditional mainstays of our economy such as agriculture and textiles and will give full play to investors and business people from Pakistan and elsewhere.

As we look beyond the storm of the global pandemic, the CPEC’s next phase of even higher-quality development will encompass new areas such as science and technology and agriculture. Meanwhile, 27 socioeconomic development projects across all parts of Pakistan would create necessary conditions for enabling the multiplier effects of the large-scale investments, ensuring that no one would be left behind.

A modern miracle

As Prime Minister Khan noted in his first speech, China’s success in rescuing 700 million people out of poverty is a miracle worth emulating. China, for its part, has readily shared its experience and best practices for Pakistan’s benefit. China has stepped forward to assist Pakistan in harnessing the potential of our dynamic population, thus realizing the fruits of our demographic dividend. Both sides are stepping up efforts to ensure that the results of our economic engagement are in keeping with the needs of our people and the development path chosen by Pakistan.

In the town of Gwadar, the port and free zone have already become operational, creating opportunities for employment, investment and commerce. At another level, Gwadar will complement our other ports and make Pakistan an increasingly efficient and attractive trans-shipment hub between and among China, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The emergence of Gwadar as a hub of regional commerce and logistics will multiply economic opportunities for the broader region.

Looking back at the past 69 years of shared weal and woe, Pakistan’s confidence in this partnership has been well placed and well earned. Looking forward to the milestone 70th anniversary in a year’s time, there may be many uncertainties in the world, but the Pakistan-China friendship is here to stay.

The author is Pakistani ambassador to China.