IT was imperative that President Zardari visit China, after US President Obama exposed his true colours during his visit to India. Pakistan was deliberately slighted and diplomatically reproved, if not directly but indirectly while India was not only wooed, but promised the moon by USA. All this because US wants commercial ties with India, as well as use it to counterbalance China. Under the circumstances, it is logical that Pakistan fall back on its traditional and time tested friend China.Despite having sacrificed thousands of lives, lost valuable property and expended munitions worth millions of dollars in the war against terror, a serious trust deficit exists between Pakistan and the US. China, which has always been there for Pakistan in its hour of need as well as during its happy hour, should not only be recognized as such but extended the status of Pakistan’s most reliable ally who treats Pakistan as an equal and its support has no strings attached. The Pakistani President’s visit to China and the hospitality extended by his hosts was like a whiff of fresh air after the bad taste in the mouth following Obama’s Indian yatra.
In return, Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao will visit Pakistan next month to “deepen strategic cooperation” and establish a mechanism for formal and structured dialogue to ensure smooth and real time communication on all issues of common interest. On the eve of President Zardari’s visit to China, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Liu Jian in a detailed article ‘China and Asia: Closer than Ever’, released to the media said the two countries have a rich potential in enhancing trade and exploring new avenues for cooperation. In the large context of deepening trends towards a multi-polar world and economic globalization, new changes have taken place in the economic and political landscape of Asia.
Overall, the pursuit of peace, stability, cooperation and development is the defining feature of the situation in Asia. The Honourable Ambassador has vividly outlined China’s ties with its Asian neighbours, which have indeed gone through historic changes, and are characterized by good-neighbourliness, mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation.
The Ambassador has comprehensively described the political relations, the positive and constructive role of ASEAN; the economic cooperation, depicted by the trade volume between China and other Asian countries, which exceeded US$640 billion from January to September this year, rising by 38% year-on-year and the Chinese support in capacity building of various Asian countries, focusing on the development of communication infrastructure, including ports, shipping, navigation routes, roads and railways. In his detailed article, Ambassador Liu Jian has provided graphic details of the Chinese paradigm for cooperation, collaboration and assistance to its Asian neighbours.
He has singled out Pak-China relations for a detailed discourse and recommending a fresh paradigm. He has recounted that the Chinese government and people, over the years, have been providing unselfish and unconditional help and support to Pakistan. In light of the great loss of lives and property inflicted by the floods that have hit Pakistan since late July, the Chinese government has pledged a total of 250 million US dollars humanitarian assistance to Pakistan.
The Chinese people also have been lending a helping hand in a variety of ways to help their Pakistan brothers. A Chinese reconstruction survey delegation visited the flood-affected areas in Pakistan recently and assured China’s all-out support of the reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts of the brotherly country. The fact is that whenever Pakistan needed China’s support, it was there like a true friend and Pak-China relations are based on the rock- solid edifice of mutual trust. Whether it was Pak-India wars or natural calamities striking Pakistan or Pakistan’s isolation by the world community, following nuclear tests or military takeovers, China has not only refused to judge Pakistan, but instead rushed to help fill the void left by international sanctions.
The Daily Mail endorses Ambassador Liu Jian’s observation and recommendation that the next year will mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China. Taking into account the special relations and strategic partnership of cooperation between Pakistan and China, the offer of China’s working with Pakistan to take the opportunity of the 60th anniversary to further expand the friendly cooperation and to bring Pak-China bilateral relations into a new paradigm of trust and cooperation must be welcomed wholeheartedly – DailyMailNews
