Shehbaz’s Beijing yatra

There are no two opinions that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s two-day visit to Beijing was substantive, timely and full of important messaging and sympolism. China and Pakistan have always viewed their relations from a strategic and long-term perspective and prioritized each other in in their foreign policy and diplomacy. This was once again evident by the visit of Shahbaz Sharif to Beijing becoming the first Prime Minister to be invited for a visit to China immediately after the 20th CPC Congress hat approved the unprecedented appointment of President Xi Jinping as Secretary General of CPC for the Third consecutive term. The symbolism of the visit therefore, cannot be over emphasized.

It is a clear signal that as Iron Brothers, closest partners and reliable friends, both countries are determined to stand by each other and face the ongoing changes in the geo-economic and geo-strategic arena with firm resolve and dignity. Pakistan-China friendship is time-tested and historic and are an unmistakable evidence of the fact that long-term interstate relations are not merely the result of convergence of interests but draw real strength from complete trust and understanding at leadership level, mutual respect, and feelings of affection and love at public level. The bedrock of our bilateral relations is a strong faith and trust in each other that both the countries have nurtured with care and devotion. Like our borders our hearts and our destinies are linked.
Pakistan’s relation with China has never been a transactional one. This is the only relationship that has consistently maintained an upward trajectory. From the very beginning and particularly since the 1960s, the two countries began to forge a close relationship of understanding that has been remarkably constant despite the vicissitudes of momentous changes in domestic, regional and international politics. This relationship has withstood the test of time and continues to demonstrate incredible stability by retaining its strategic quality. President Xi reiterated to PM Shahbaz Sharif that amid global changes and instability in recent years, the two countries have supported each other and forged ahead, demonstrating an ironclad friendship. China was appreciative of Pakistan’s firm will for friendly cooperation with China and appreciated its support on issues related to China’s core and major concerns.

China sympathized with the people of Pakistan who suffered from the devastating floods and would provide additional emergency assistance to help Pakistan in post-disaster reconstruction. The total Chinese flood assistance now stands at RMB 900 million. Like in the past, China once again demonstrated that a friend in need was a friend indeed. President Xi affirmed that as China continued to adhere to the basic state policy of opening-up and continue, it would provide new opportunities to Pakistan and called on the two sides to advance the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor with greater efficiency and welcomed Pakistan to expand its export of high-quality agricultural products to China.
Xi confirmed that China would further deepen synergy between its development strategies and those of Pakistan and called on the two sides to make full use of the Joint Cooperation Committee of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), advance CPEC with greater efficiency, and make CPEC an exemplar of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. Xi also stressed the importance of accelerating the construction of auxiliary infrastructure for Gwadar Port to unleash its role in driving interconnected development in the region. He hoped the two sides would work together to create conditions for the early implementation of the up gradation of the Main Line-1 (ML-1) and the Karachi Circular Railway project.
Chinese President encouraged Pakistan to export more agricultural products to china and added that China would work with Pakistan to expand cooperation in digital economy, e-commerce, and photovoltaic and other new-energy technologies, and take solid steps to advance cooperation concerning agriculture, science, technology and people’s livelihood. He also confirmed that China would continue to do its best to support Pakistan in stabilizing its financial situation and reiterated support to Chinese provinces with a strong industry in pairing up with Pakistani partners to advance industrial cooperation, and hoped the Pakistani side would provide a sound business environment.
Xi pointed out that the world and history were changing in ways like never before and at a time of highly uncertain world, both sides should stand on the right side of history, keep up their strong cooperation in multilateral mechanisms, and work closely on major international and regional issues so as to uphold true multilateralism, international fairness and justice and the shared interests of developing countries, and inject certainty and positives into the world. Xi stated that China would work with Pakistan to advance the operationalization of the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, make the global economic governance system fairer, more equitable, inclusive and mutually beneficial, and build a community with a shared future for mankind. These collaborative efforts would provide a strong underpinning for the development of the two countries, and contribute more to global peace, stability and prosperity.
Xi also stated that China had upheld multilateralism, promoted global solidarity and cooperation, and made important contributions to safeguarding world peace and development and in doing so, China has lived up to its responsibility as a major country. He went on to say that the world cannot operate without China, and China’s development cannot be isolated or contained by any force. Prime Minister Sharif expressed his confidence that President Xi, with his extraordinary vision, would continue to lead China toward even more remarkable achievements and create an even brighter future for the world.
The comprehensive and strong Joint Statement once again reiterated that China would firmly support Pakistan’s efforts in safeguarding national sovereignty, territorial integrity, development interests and national dignity. China was ready to work with Pakistan to elevate the level of all-around strategic cooperation, speed up efforts to build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, and inject new impetus into their all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.

Both Pakistan and China are cognizant of the new and emerging challenges within and arising from economic-political and geo-strategic realignments. In view of these developments, both countries should aim to build a closer and more meaningful Pakistan-China Community of Shared Future in the New Era in line with the principles set forth by the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Good-neighbourly Relations between the People’s Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan signed in 2005, the Joint Statements of November 2018 and November 2022 and other bilateral documents focusing on long-term development of relations.
Pakistan and China are both aware of their respective national challenges, and external variables in the form of global threats including unanticipated military conflicts, global recessions or financial crises, disruptions in energy supply lines, or determined efforts by countries, individually or within broad coalitions, to halt regional and inter-regional connectivity through BRI, coupled with unilateralism, protectionism and unilateral coercive measure. Pakistan and China are also mindful of common regional issues such as widespread unemployment, changes in rainfall patterns and river flows, sea level rise, the melting of the Himalayan glaciers that feed most Asian continental river systems, and the increasing scarcity of the fresh water resources and should try to cooperate in these areas to address these issues.
In view of the above, it is important that both countries aim to raise the existing level of “all-weather strategic cooperative partnership” while adhering to the development goals and aspirations of the two people through a comprehensive and forward looking plan of action. Pakistan-China friendship has evolved over the past seven decades from good neighbors and friends into strategic partners based on practical cooperation. We have developed a well-rounded relationship based on mutual trust and respect. Today, we truly are “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative” partners and each other’s strength, as President Xi calls us “iron brothers”. In the coming decades, our strong bilateral ties will continue to synergize with emerging regional and global trends for sustainable development and lasting peace.

The writer is a former Ambassador to China, the EU and Ireland