In October 2020, I flew over the towering Karakorum Mountains and arrived within the lovely metropolis of Islamabad with pleasure and expectation. Now I really feel so reluctant to depart this beloved nation to finish my tenure because the Chinese language ambassador.
Over the previous two years, I’ve been making buddies sincerely, selling cooperation devotedly, in search of growth whole-heartedly. I really felt the iron-clad friendship between China and Pakistan is increased than the mountains and deeper than the ocean. I visited 4 provinces of Pakistan, witnessed the continued growth of CPEC, facilitated the interplay between the leaders, and loved the improved cooperation of varied fields.
Wanting again on the previous two years, the evolution of the worldwide state of affairs has develop into extra profound and complicated, the COVID-19 pandemic along with the Ukraine disaster, has introduced extreme unfavorable impression and far uncertainties to the world, and human society is confronted with unprecedented challenges. Underneath the sturdy management of the Communist Social gathering of China Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping on the core, China has constantly made new and nice achievements. In 2022, the CPC efficiently convened the twentieth Nationwide Congress, drawing up a grand blueprint for advancing the good rejuvenation of the Chinese language nation on all fronts by means of a Chinese language path to modernization, and the solemn mission of constructing a neighborhood with a shared future for mankind. China will act as a accountable main nation to advertise cooperation and friendship, and inject new dynamics of growth for its neighbors, together with Pakistan, and the world as an entire.
Towards this backdrop, I’m happy to see the high-level interactions between China and Pakistan. The leaders of the 2 sides have maintained shut exchanges by means of numerous methods. Final yr, President Xi Jinping met with the Prime Ministers of Pakistan 3 times. Prime Minister Shehbaz paid a profitable go to to China in November, changing into the primary head of presidency to go to China after the twentieth CPC Nationwide Congress. The 2 sides issued a joint assertion and signed 21 cooperation paperwork. Not way back, Premier Li Keqiang spoke with Prime Minister Shehbaz, and the brand new Chinese language Overseas Minister Qin Gang had a phone name with Overseas Minister Bilawal instantly after taking workplace. The 2 sides reiterated to advertise sensible cooperation in key areas and expedite the event of China-Pakistan relations. With the sturdy steering of the leaders, China and Pakistan are making nice strides in the direction of constructing a more in-depth China-Pakistan neighborhood with a shared future within the new period.
I’m happy to see that China and Pakistan have continued to deepen their political belief. Friendship with China has at all times been a cross-party consensus in Pakistan. Through the twentieth CPC Congress, China obtained 58 congratulatory letters from greater than 20 political events and organizations in Pakistan. The 2 nations help one another on problems with core pursuits and main issues. The Pakistani facet firmly adheres to the one-China coverage. China helps Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, safety, and promotes its social-economic growth and prosperity. Actions have proved that regardless of how the worldwide state of affairs adjustments, the friendship between China and Pakistan stays unbreakable.
I’m happy to see that the constructing of CPEC has achieved many fruitful outcomes. From the preliminary structure specializing in Gwadar port, transport infrastructure, vitality and trade, and regularly including JWGs on social-economic growth, agriculture, science and data expertise, and worldwide cooperation and coordination and so forth. CPEC has develop into an essential platform for all-round cooperation between China and Pakistan. Simply title some progress for current two years, as Gwadar East Bay Expressway has been opened to site visitors, the development of the brand new Gwadar airport has been accelerated, the Technical and Vocational Institute has been handed over to Pakistan. Karot Hydropower Venture has received its COD, and K3 Nuclear Energy Plant along with TEL and Nova Energy Crops all began operation. Either side agreed to actively promote the ML-1 venture and the KCR venture. As a landmark venture of “Belt and Street Initiative”, CPEC has introduced a complete of $25.4 billion in direct funding, $17.55 billion in income, $2.12 billion in taxes, and created 192,000 jobs for Pakistan，serving to Pakistan so as to add 6000 megawatts of electrical energy, 510km of freeway and 886km of nationwide core transmission community, laying a stable basis for Pakistan’s financial and social growth.
I’m happy to see that bilateral commerce has an excellent momentum of growth. The second part of China–Pakistan Free Commerce Settlement has proven its effectiveness. Supporting insurance policies reminiscent of foreign money swaps have been constantly improved. Facilitation initiatives such because the export of high-quality agricultural merchandise to China have been steadily promoted. The financial and commerce cooperation between the 2 nations has maintained at excessive degree. China has develop into Pakistan’s largest buying and selling accomplice for eight years in a row. Particularly, Pakistan’s agricultural exports to China are rising quickly, with a commerce surplus of 13 instances enhance in 2021, and whole agricultural export quantity is predicted to exceed US $1 billion in 2022. Through the assembly with President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Shehbaz mentioned that deepening cooperation in CPEC and different areas with China is the long run course and the one alternative for Pakistan. China will be a part of palms with Pakistan to higher rework Pakistan’s geographical benefits, useful resource benefits and labor benefits into export competitiveness and financial development.
I’m happy to see that cooperation in different fields additionally has been promoted in an all-round means. As an essential pillar of our distinctive friendship, the relations between the armed forces have achieved fruitful progress, and can deepen cooperation in areas of coaching, joint workouts and army expertise, contributing to the upkeep of regional peace and stability. Individuals-to-people exchanges have overcome the difficulties of the COVID and remained lively. Greater than 140 actions had been held throughout the seventieth anniversary of the diplomatic ties. With the easing of the related insurance policies and the resumption of flights, the exchanges will certainly enhance in 2023, the China-Pakistan “12 months of Tourism”.
I’m happy to see that the folks of China and Pakistan preserve helping and supporting one another in instances of difficulties and wish. Because the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, China and Pakistan have joined palms and helped one another. When China confronted scarcity of medical provides, Pakistan despatched a particular airplane to ship the medicines. Vice versa, the Chinese language authorities assisted Pakistan with testing reagents and masks, and making Pakistan the primary nation to obtain vaccines donated by Chinese language authorities and armed forces. Final yr, Pakistan was hit by historic flood. China despatched well timed help to its iron-clad good friend. Chinese language authorities, army, enterprises, society and people supplied greater than $160 million in help, rating first amongst all nations. On the current Worldwide Convention on Local weather resilience Pakistan, China pledged one other 100 million US {dollars} of help. I personally went to the Bugti district of Balochistan to distribute Chinese language aid provides to the folks affected by the flood. As Prime Minister Shabaz mentioned, no nation is as honest as China in serving to creating nations. As an previous Chinese language saying goes, amity between the folks holds the important thing to sound state-to-state relations. The folks of the 2 nations share nice love with true sentiments and with concrete actions.
One particular episode I wish to share is that in 1956, Geng Biao, then ambassador to Pakistan, planted a bamboo tree in Chinese language Embassy in Karachi to commemorate Premier Zhou Enlai’s go to to Pakistan. In 2021, my embassy colleagues and I launched this bamboo to the Embassy in Islamabad to inherit this good legacy. As time flies, now this bamboo has sprouted new branches, lush and vibrant, similar to the friendship between China and Pakistan, which has been handed on from technology to technology.
A Chinese language poem goes as “bosom buddies might be nearer than organic brothers.” I’ve regarded my Pakistani buddies as my brothers and sisters, and Pakistan as my second hometown. The 2-years time in Islamabad stays a lifetime of Pakistani friendship. I’ll go away with the most effective reminiscences, and my coronary heart will keep in Pakistan ceaselessly.
Allama Iqbal mentioned that, many universes exist past the celebrities, extra ordeals of affection nonetheless awaiting. Nearly as good neighbor linked by destiny, honest good friend sharing weal and woe, and true brother standing by one another, China and Pakistan are actually at a brand new historic stage. We are going to take the essential consensus of the leaders of the 2 nations because the information to constantly deepen friendship, collectively promote the CPEC and construct a more in-depth China-Pakistan neighborhood with a shared future within the new period.
I sincerely want Pakistan prosperity and its folks happiness and well being. Could the iron-clad friendship between China and Pakistan final ceaselessly. Could the cooperation between the 2 nations extra affluent. Could China and Pakistan proceed to put in writing new legends.
Chin-Pak Dosti Zindabad!
The author is the Ambassador of Individuals’s Republic of China to Pakistan.