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China Strengthens Deeper Pakistan-China Friendship Diplomacy

2019-06-05 14:43:00 Source:China Today Author:YASIR HABIB KHAN
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Vice-President Wang Qishan (L) meets with Pakistani President Arif Alvi in Islamabad, Pakistan, May 26, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan’s foreign visits have inspired new life in friendship diplomacy. The visits have also introduced new benchmarks of patience and positivity in response to malicious propaganda being unleashed by the West to inflict geostrategic, economic, and trade damages to China.

Instead of blowing against Western hostility, his international visits to countries and regions including Pakistan and Europe have conveyed a soft gesture that Beijing is a messenger of friendliness, promoter of global governance system, pioneer of shared future, and a country who fosters globalization.

He paid a visit to Islamabad and Lahore, Pakistan for three days at the end of last month. His visit came at the crucial time when Pakistan needed a booster in weathering national and international challenges. Pakistan faced a spate of cross-border terrorism against CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor), vital part of BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) and undue pressure on FATF. Mischievous elements tried to spark out fissures and hate between China and Pakistan spewing venom that Xinjiang’s Islamic groups are being punished for being Muslim and are confined in internment camps. Fake news was released that Muslims are being forced to shun their religious rituals especially observing their traditional fasts during the month of Ramadan, a highly sacred month in Islam. Debt-trap rhetoric and marriage scandals were also orchestrated.

This formidable situation was a daunting challenge, but the timely and elaborate visit of the Chinese Vice President brimming with cordiality marked the dawn of a new era of trust in bilateral ties. Before his arrival, Pakistan was specially made part of two big events — The Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations — to get the message across that Pakistan and China are birds of the same feather and both will never succumb to vicious pressure from outside.

In order to immortalize the Pak-China iron friendship, plenty of MOUs were signed, with unveiling plaques of many projects. MOUs involve cooperation in economic and technical affairs, disaster management, and assistance in the agriculture sector of Lasbella University. Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan and the Chinese Vice President launched four mega development projects in the fields of energy, technology, and education under the CPEC. Both dignitaries unveiled the plaques of the four projects.

Under the first project, a transmission line of 660KV would be laid between Matiari and Lahore to transmit power from coal-based plants located at Thar, Port Qasim, and Hub.

The project would have the capacity to supply 2,000MW electricity with a 10 percent overloaded capability for two hours. The two leaders unveiled the plaque for Rashakai Special Economic Zone (RSEZ) project to promote industrialization through optimally priced, world-class industrial infrastructure in KP. The RSEZ is situated centrally in the CPEC at the junction of Karakoram Corridor and ML-1 development corridor.

The two leaders also inaugurated the Confucius Institute at the University of Punjab. The institute mainly provides Chinese language education, cultural promotion and exchanges, as well as other projects and activities. The ceremony also marked the launching of a Huawei Technical Support Centre which will be established in Pakistan as part of Chinese tech giant’s commitment to make massive investment in Pakistan.

Later, in recognition of his role in the promotion of Pak-China bilateral ties, Mr. Wang Qishan was conferred Pakistan's highest civil award, the Nishan-e-Pakistan by Pakistan President Arif Alvi.

Throughout the important visit, the Chinese Vice President uttered historical words like, "China and Pakistan are good neighbors, and the friendly relationship between the two countries has stood the test of time and the changing international situation," adding that leaders of both countries have met frequently over the recent years and the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership has yielded continuous progress.

He noted that establishing good-neighborly and friendly relations and creating a good surrounding environment on the basis of mutual understanding and mutual trust were important conditions for helping a country achieve peaceful development. Furthermore, he said that China supported Pakistan in seizing opportunities and tackling challenges, and properly handling relations with its neighbors, in order to achieve stable development. Mr. Wang Qishan shared his hope that the two countries would continue to deepen all-around cooperation, and promote the progress of important projects under the Belt and Road Initiative, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

He also visited the Haier Industrial Park in Punjab accompanied by the Chief Minster, Punjab Mr. Usman Buzdar, the Punjab Minister of Commerce, Industry & Investment, Mian Muhammad Aslam Iqbal, and other senior government officials.

After his state visit to Pakistan, Vice President Wang Qishan visited Germany which mustered its support to bolster global multilateral order flying in the face of unilateralism being engineered by the U.S.

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YASIR HABIB KHAN is a senior journalist and president of the Institute of International Relations and Media Research (IIRMR)

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