China-Pak relations,a factor of stability in the Region
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, has said strong Pakistan-China relationship was an anchor of peace and stability in the region. He underlined that the two countries believe in the spirit of mutual trust and shared values, which has become the pillar of all-weather friendship between the two countries.INP reported.
Mr. Aizaz Chaudhry during the second day of his visit in Beijing for the 7th Round of Strategic Dialogue between Pakistan and China, gave a talk on “China-Pakistan relations – A factor of stability in the Region” at the China Institute of International Studies (CIIS). CIIS is a premier research institute, which conducts analysis and prepares reports on a wide range of foreign policy issues. Talk was attended by a large group of distinguished Chinese professors, scholars, researchers and practitioners with solid background and insight into Pakistan- China relationship and contemporary issues.
The Foreign Secretary underlined that during the 65 years since establishment of relations between the two countries, their relationship has come far too long and the strength of it was most visible through China-Pakistan Economic Corridor – a flagship initiative for economic prosperity and industrial development in the region. He said that CPEC was poised to benefit the people of not just the two countries but also the entire region by creating new jobs and opening new vistas for economic cooperation. Many participants believed that the dream for a better tomorrow and common destiny could be achieved through shared vision of regional connectivity and integration.
Participating in the discussion, Chinese scholars and professors underlined that besides government-to-government relations, people-to-people contacts were equally important for further cementing ties between the two countries. Pakistan’s unwavering support to China for its sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as on issues of its core interest was deeply acknowledged. Chinese support for Pakistan on its core issues was also acknowledged.
Participants also acknowledged similarity of views on many regional and international issues which was to promote peace and stability in the region in the spirit of win-win cooperation.
China Says proud of having good relations with Pakistan
BEIJING : China is proud of having good relations with its neighboring countries, most particularly with Pakistan and Russia.INP reported.
“Of the 20 neighboring countries, China has good relations with the majority, especially Pakistan and Russia.
The main issues come from two countries – Japan and the Philippines,” said Jin Canrong, a senior official of the Center of American Studies at the Renmin University of China in a media’s briefing.
It has been the China’s consistent policy to avoid conflicts and disputes in bilateral relations.
China always stands for peaceful resolution of its disputes, even with those of Philippines and Japan, he said adding his country attached special importance its relations with its neigbhours to achieve common agenda of peace and development. Pakistan is the best example in country-to-country relationship both at official and people-to-people level.
Meanwhile, Sino-Japanese ties plunged to a new low after Japan “nationalized” the disputed Diaoyu Islands in 2012.
Although China and Japan managed to control the situation over the past two years, tensions have been on the rise recently after Japan insinuated itself into the South China Sea disputes, urging China to “respect the verdict.”
“Of all the peripheral issues, he viewed the Korean Peninsula will remain a key focus of attention as North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons poses a threat to China’s security whether directly or potentially,” Jia Qingguo, dean of the School of International Studies at Peking University, told the Global Times.
“As for the East and South China Seas, we need to better manage the differences and prevent it from affecting China’s overall diplomacy and China’s ‘Belt and Road’ initiative,” Jia noted.
Analysts said China’s foreign policy is becoming more proactive under transformations prompted by the changing domestic and external environments.
China’s peripheral diplomacy this year may look more complicated with the South China Sea ruling and the deployment of a US defense shield on the Korean Peninsula, but the overall situation remains under control, analysts said.
“It may be too early to draw any conclusions on how things will pan out, as we are yet to see what effect the G20 will have, but the situation this year is definitely more complicated than in previous years. Some issues have been imposed on us against our will,” Jin Canrong added.
China is hosting the G20 summit from September 4-5 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. The meeting has been described as the “biggest diplomatic event of the year” for China. On the sidelines of the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to hold bilateral talks with several visiting heads of states, including US President Barack Obama.
“China wishes to stabilize Sino-US relations before Obama leaves the Oval Office. With Sino-US ties stabilized, China would have at least half of its geopolitical environment under control,” Jin said.
In July, the US and South Korea announced their decision to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in South Korea by the end of next year as deterrence against North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests.
The decision has met strong opposition from China and Russia as THAAD can be also used as a radar to spy on neighboring countries’ activities.
As for the South China Sea disputes and the rifts they have caused between China and certain Southeast Asian countries, analysts said China has been working hard to de-escalate the tensions, including efforts to prevent tit from coming between China’s relations with ASEAN as a whole as well as an open invitation from the Chinese foreign ministry for the Philippine president’s special envoy Fidel Ramos to visit Beijing.
“Believing China is now strong and powerful, many no longer wish to put aside disputes as they used to and want to consolidate their interests with the help of the US,” Jin said.
