Pak-China relations bulwark against hegemonism in region: Rabbani

ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani Monday said Pakistan-China relations were a bulwark against hegemonism in the region as there had been attempts at regime change and to impose India as the regional policeman by the United States.

The ties between the two countries were a demonstration of the “Asian dream”, he said speaking as chief guest at the launch of Chinese language classes and a publication "CPEC : Facts versus Fiction here. The function was organized by the Pakistan-China Institute in collaboration with the JS Group.

He welcomed the launch of the Chinese language classes, which he said, would facilitate business ties between Pakistan and China.

Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador of China to Pakistan Yao Jing said the Pakistan-China relations were achieving new heights and the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was the manifestation of that bond. China had always stood by Pakistan just as Pakistan stood by China, which, he termed, an “all weather” friendship between “iron brothers”.

Founder of Pakistan-China Institute Senator Mushahid Hussain said there had been deliberate attempts to create misconceptions about the CPEC, in which India and its western patrons were playing a prominent part. The reason for that, he said, was geo-political since there was an attempt to build up India as a counterweight to China with baseless propaganda about the “China Threat”.

Mushahid said Pakistan welcomed the peaceful rise and development of China, which was a source of strength for it.

Responding to a question about the CPEC, he said when the Corridor was launched in 2013, Pakistan was perceived to be isolated, terror stricken and a ‘failing state’. China helped to counter that false narrative by its massive investment of $ 50 billion on the CPEC, he added.

He said the CPEC gave a boost to the Pakistani people and it was a vote of confidence in the future of Pakistan and an investment in the future prosperity of Pakistan and its people.

Mushahid Hussain said the CPEC was already producing results. Pakistan’s international image had changed as the country had become a pivotal player in the region. It had registered the highest growth rate in 10 years. The projects like Gwadar port and Thar coal had not only been revived but were thriving and the Western Route was being built on schedule, he added.

He said the CPEC was translating into reality what Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah had correctly predicted 70 years ago in an interview with an American publication that “Pakistan would be the pivot of the world placed on the frontier where the future geo-politics of the world will revolve”.

Chairman J.S. Group Jehangir Siddiqui said that “We have planned to organize conferences in Pakistan and China where they would provide a platform for Chinese and Pakistani companies to promote Chinese language classes in Karachi as well."