EDITORIAL: President Asif Ali Zardari has recently concluded a visit to China, overseeing signing of more than a dozen agreements, covering diverse fields.
The gist of the discussions and agreements reached during the visit as per a joint statement, issued by the Foreign Office on Thursday, was that “the China-Pakistan relationship remains of strategic significance, and any attempt to disrupt or undermine it is bound to fail” - apparently, a reference to hostile forces-inspired attacks on Chinese nationals and interests as well as sanctions the US imposed last December on a Chinese research institute and several companies, it said, were involved in supplying ballistic missiles-applicable items to Pakistan.
Both sides also reiterated their commitment to upgrade the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) by incorporating in its second phase industrial growth, innovation, green energy and some other open corridors. That could be the real and much talked-about game changer.
The bond between Pakistan and China, based on mutual respect and cooperation, has stood the test of time for over seven decades. Relations with certain other countries, both transactional and interventionist in nature have not been very dependable.
China has been a strategic partner and truly an ‘All Weather Friend’, which adheres to a policy of non-interference in internal affairs of other nations. Aside from mutually beneficial expansion in trade, agriculture, private sector linkages, regional connectivity through the CPEC, the two sides have agreed to enhance collaboration in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
China having decided early on not to remain the world’s factory, focused its attention on research and development of innovative technologies with the result that it has emerged as the global leader in green energies while its electric vehicles industry is not only the largest in the world but has been giving tough competition to Elon Musk’s Tesla company.
What’s more, its open-source AI app DeepSeek has taken the world by storm. We can and must benefit from these technologies to address our multifaceted challenges. The advancements in the field of AI thus far hold indeterminate but huge possibilities for progress and development.
The president’s visit was also an occasion for reiteration of support for the two countries’ respective positions on geopolitical issues such as China’s stance on Taiwan and policies vis-a-vis Xinjiang, Xizang, Hong Kong, and the South China Sea; and Pakistan’s dispute with India over Kashmir.
China reaffirmed that it should be resolved in accordance with the UN Charter, relevant Security Council resolutions, and bilateral agreements. As regards the more immediate problem, both sides urged the interim Afghan government to take “visible and verifiable” action against terrorist groups.
They also called for increased international effort to stabilise Afghanistan and integrate it into the global economy. Hopefully, this will encourage moderate elements within the Afghan Taliban leadership to rein in terrorist groups, particularly the TTP using Afghan soil to launch attacks into Pakistan.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.