Experts highlight mutual trust, cooperation as basis for strong Pakistan-China relations

LAHORE: A video conference celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan with the theme of “Looking Back and Going Forward” was co-hosted by Xuzhou Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, Jiangsu Normal University and Punjab University.

According to a press release, Prof Sun Hongqi, Director of Pakistan Studies Centre, Jiangsu Normal University chaired the session. Moin-ul-Haque, Ambassador of Pakistan to China, underlined that in today’s world, when international ties had become more complex, the role of academic and research work had assumed a greater significance. He said these academia think tanks, including universities could keep a faithful record for bilateral ties, identify new areas of cooperation and explore complex metrics between politics, economics and culture and also bring in two countries together.

“China is Pakistan’s largest trading partner and largest source of foreign investment. Chinese investment in Pakistan can be used for manufacturing to sell in Pakistan, export to China and EU at zero import duty,” said Hussain Haider, Consul General of Pakistan in Shanghai.

While speaking at a webinar, Foreign affairs expert Syed Muhammad Mehdi has called for increasing defence cooperation between Pakistan and China. Mehdi said Beijing has already extended extraordinary defence cooperation with Islamabad in the form of Al-Khalid tank and JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft. He said a nefarious propaganda was being made to portray that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would plunge Pakistan into a huge debt.

He said it is necessary to make the project more open to the public so that no propaganda may affect the friendship. He urged that the propaganda that China is planning a military presence in Jeewani (Pakistan) or elsewhere should also be strongly denied, while Xinjiang should be open to negate the reports that Muslims were being discriminated there.

PU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Niaz Ahmad Akhtar said that historical background spanning over seven decades of the solid foundations of the mutual, lasting and ever flourishing friendship. He added there are vast opportunities of cooperation in higher education sector. He said every Pakistani believed that China was the most trustworthy friend of Pakistan.

“The Chinese universities can admit Pakistani students in large number. Students who graduate from Chinese universities in Medical and Engineering subjects face difficulties in recognition of the degrees,” he explained and said, “If those universities are registered with accreditation bodies like Pakistan Engineering Council and Pakistan Medical Commission then the issue can be solved.”

Peng Zhengwu, Deputy Consul General of China in Lahore, pointed out that Jiangsu has injected new vitality into the in-depth development of Pak-China relations.

Dr Amjad Magsi from Punjab University appreciated the generous help from China during the pandemic. “In April 2020, Jiangsu Provincial Govt sent pandemic prevention material to Punjab as a sign of brotherhood as Punjab and Jiangsu are sister provinces,” he added.

Dr Magsi said that through increased technology sharing and joint ventures, both the countries can benefit from the true spirit of mutual friendship. “As for Pakistanis, learning of Chinese is important similarly learning of Urdu and regional languages will go long way in cementing the cultural relationships but also will be of greater help in economic side.”

In his concluding remarks, Prof Sun Hongqi stressed on joint efforts to make the tree of China-Pakistan friendship evergreen, and said everyone has the responsibility and obligation to build the C-PEC and carry forward the spirit of friendly cooperation between the two neighbours.

Wu Weidong, Deputy Mayor of Xuzhou Municipal People’s Govt, Huang Xiqiang, Superintendent of Foreign Affairs Office of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Govt, Prof Cen Hong, Deputy Chair of the University Council, Jiangsu Normal University also spoke in the video conference. A video documentary of Punjab University was also played during the conference.