Political Parties acclaim Role of Communist Party of China: Sherry says China friendship unites Pakistani political parties, Mushahid welcomes decision not to attend US ‘Democracy Summit’, Fakhar Imam urges learning from ‘China Model’ of poverty alleviation

(Islamabad, December 10): Pakistan-China Institute (PCI) organised a first-of-its-kind Webinar on “6th Plenum of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC); What does it mean for China and the World?” under its flagship event series, “Friends of Silk Road (FOSR)”. The Webinar was attended by over 70 participants online, and featured five speeches, including Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman Senate Defence Committee & Pakistan-China Institute, Ms Pang Chunxue, Deputy Head of the Embassy of China, Qasim Khan Suri, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Senator Sherry Rehman, Chairman Senate Foreign Affairs Committee & Parliamentary leader of Pakistan Peoples Party in the Senate of Pakistan, Syed Fakhar Imam, Minister for Food Security & Research.

The dialogue was moderated by Mustafa Hyder Sayed, Executive Director of the Pakistan-China Institute. Commenting on the Friends of Silk Road Initiative (FOSR), he said that it has emerged as a key platform for bringing political parties, civil society, and key opinion leaders together. Today’s conference, he maintained, demonstrates that Pakistan’s different parties and leaders maintain the consensus to strongly support China and CPEC. Moreover, he said that we welcome the 6th Plenum of the 19th Central Committee’s historical resolution which is the 3rd most important resolution passed by the CPC in its history, the first two of which were under Chairman Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping.

The panelists discussed the ‘Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century’ which was adopted at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on November 11, 2021 and its implications for China and the World in a rapidly changing regional and international political scenario.

Senator Mushahid Hussain welcomed the historic 6th Plenum of 19th Central Committee of the CPC, saying it’s results would be far-reaching in terms of policy continuity and stability. He welcomed Pakistan’s decision not to participate in the ‘Democracy Summit’ hosted by the US Administration as it’s agenda was driven by ideological geopolitics, a throwback to the Cold War era. Weaponization of democracy is counterproductive in today’s era of globalization when challenges like Coronavirus Pandemic and Climate Change require collective efforts through wider cooperation. Senator Mushahid Hussain said the important message from US was not the ‘Democracy Summit’ but the December 7 report from Harvard University on ‘The Great Tech Rivalry: China vs US’. Quoting from the report, which says: ‘China has displaced US as world’s top hitech manufacturer producing 250 million computers, 25 million automobiles and 1.5 billion smartphones in 2020’. Senator Mushahid Hussain said this technological prowess and progress of an Asian country like China is the real reason driving the West’s new Cold War as they’re falling behind China. The Harvard report further says: ‘China possesses the might, talent and ambition to surpass the US as the world’s leader in AI in the next decade’. And Harvard report has a stark conclusion that China is leading in foundational technologies of the 21st Century: Artificial Intelligence, 5G, Biotech, Semi Conductors and Green Energy. Given this context, and given our national interests, Senator Mushahid said Pakistan is standing on the right side of history and Pakistan-China relations are not tactical nor transactional nor directed against any other country, rather these ties are the drivers of a new regional connectivity based on economy, energy and ecology, ports and pipelines, roads and railways, with both protecting each other’s core interests. He also quoted an opinion survey of Harvard University’s Ash Center in July 2020 which stated that ‘ over 85% Chinese people expressed satisfaction with role of CPC’, adding this was because CPC had delivered by changing Chinese lives for the better.

Ms Pang Chunxue, Minister-Counsellor of the Embassy of China termed the conclusion of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee a milestone for the CPC. She said that the “Resolution of the Central Committee of the CPC on the Party’s Major Achievements and Historical Experience in a Century of Struggle” passed during the session will further unify the whole party’s thinking, will and action. Under the leadership of the CPC, China has gone through historical changes, now achieving stability, preserving its sovereignty and promoting prosperity. She termed Pakistan-China relationship timetested, unique, all weather and resilient. Pakistan, she said, will always find China standing shoulder-to-shoulder during its development endeavors. Lastly, she echoed the stance of President Xi Jinping who during the phone call with Prime Minister Imran Khan this October called for strengthening strategic mutual trust, so as to promote the high-quality development of CPEC, and broaden all-round cooperation in every field.

Qasim Khan Suri,  Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan called on the political parties to deepen strategic communication with China to learn from CPC’s experience of governance. He said that both countries, over the past 70 years, have maintained  a relationship based on mutual trust and understanding. Commenting on CPEC, he said that it has successfully completed its first phase and has now given a new dimension and rejuvenated the deep rooted bilateral partnership in the field of economy, society, culture, ecology, and governance.

Syed Fakhar Imam, Minister for Food Security & Research termed the historic resolution passed during the 6th plenum of 19th Party Congress of CPC at a critical juncture for China. This critical juncture, he maintained, will propel China to achieve new heights and help it in realizing the dream of creating a community with shared destiny for mankind. The CPC, since its founding, has launched movements against corruption, waste, and bureaucracy, bribery, tax evasion, theft of state property, cheating on government contracts, and stealing of economic information – something the developing world, especially Pakistan can learn from. China’s eradication of absolute poverty, he said, shouldn’t be taken as an individual event, rather, it was the culmination of efforts made in the past decades.

Senator Sherry Rehman, Parliamentary leader of Pakistan Peoples Party in the Senate of Pakistan felicitated the Communist Party of China on passing the historic resolution which reaffirms the commitment of party leadership to achieve the outlined goals. She said the world is looking towards China for its pivotal global role and said ‘friendship with China unites Pakistani political parties, especially ties with CPC’. She said Chairman Mao inspired the PPP at its formation in 1967, and Prime Minister Bhutto was the architect of Pak-China friendship. Senator Sherry term CPEC as ‘transformational, an existential opportunity and a hope for the future’. She appreciated the role of President Xi Jinping especially his vision of ‘Socialism with Chinese characteristics’, and extolled the Chinese model of redistributive justice, poverty alleviation and promoting development without a zero-sum-game mindset, which she termed the demonstration project of BRI is fueling economic development and improving people’s lives in Pakistan. Moreover, she welcomed China’s leadership on Climate Change.

This webinar lasted for 2 hours, with a 30 minute Q & A session. A diverse audience of students, scholars, academia and the media took an active part in the webinar, including participants from China.