China remains committed to peaceful global development, says Senator Mushahid Hussain

ISLAMABAD: China remained committed to the path of peaceful development, win-win cooperation and reform and opening-up, an international relations and foreign policy experts said at a webinar.

China has been a major contributor to global development, remains committed to multilateralism and has always been a defender of the international order, said the experts during the online conference held by the think tank Center for Global & Strategic Studies in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan to mark the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of China in the United Nations.

“It was not just a victory for China but for other peaceful countries as well who voted in the favor of the country. China has been a voice and remains a voice of the poor against the rich, the weak against the strong, and the small against the big,” said Mushahid Hussain Syed, chairman of Pakistani Senate’s Defense Committee.

Talking about the Global Development Initiative proposed by China recently, Syed said it is an important initiative and Pakistan looks forward to working closely with China in this regard because it will facilitate the achievement of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Noting that China has made remarkable development in the shortest period of time, the senator said great leadership, readiness to learn from other countries and a peaceful foreign policy were among the reasons behind China’s unmatchable success.

He said China has also been sharing its prosperity with other developing countries including Pakistan under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, contributing to global development.

Riaz Khokhar, a former foreign secretary, said it was unfortunate that other powers had denied the legitimate rights of the People’s Republic of China for more than 20 years regarding its lawful seat in the UN.

Over the years, China has conducted itself with great maturity, vision and remained focused on peaceful development, he said, adding that China has laid down key guidelines of no conflict, no confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

China has made great achievements in eradicating absolute poverty and it continues its support for all developing countries around the globe, the former diplomat said.

“China believes in peace and development and is a defender of world order based on equity and justice, fair play, democracy and openness, and not a world order dictated by any hegemonic forces in the world. China believes in multilateralism and benefits of globalization,” he said.

China assured the UN of peace and cooperation and believes in upholding the authority of the UN, he said, adding that today China is playing a special role in supporting UN peaceful missions around the world.

At the moment, the world is confronted by regional as well as global issues such as terrorism, cybersecurity, biosecurity and climate change, said Zamir Awan, a professor at the National University of Sciences and Technology, Pakistan.

Only more inclusive global governance, more effective multilateralism mechanisms, and more active regional cooperation, as promoted by China, can help address these issues, the professor said.

On the occasion, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong said that China will not forget that Pakistan made significant contributions to restoring China’s legitimate seat in the UN, and helped China break through the diplomatic blockade of the Western countries.

Over the past decades, despite the changing international and domestic landscapes, China and Pakistan have firmly stood together, overcome numerous difficulties and obstacles, and delivered remarkable outcomes in bilateral cooperation, he said.

“A high degree of mutual trust, mutual assistance, seeking peace and promoting development together are the most distinctive features of China-Pakistan relations, and the underlying rationale of our ironclad friendship,” he added.