MATRIX REPORT
In an interview with a private TV channel (August 19), Prime Minister Imran Khan said it all; Pakistan’s future is tied to China. It should be total clear that Pakistan’s development is now connected with China, a friend that has stood by us through thick and thin. Beijing has defended and supported us wherever needed. No other country has done what China has been doing for Pakistan. We are fortunate to have a friend like China. It is rising economically and no country will be able to stop its rise and Pakistan’s development.
Never before did a Pakistani leader offered such a categorical expression on the nature of relations with China. This should come across as reassurance to the Chinese leaders, and perhaps discomforting for all those who have been trying to blow holes in this partnership.
Khan’s statement came only three days after Yao Jing, China’s Ambassador to Pakistan, made a similar, pleasant and reassuring remarks on the relationship.
“Sino-Pakistan is a stable, progressing, mutually beneficial, and unique relationship. Pakistan being the most friendly neighbor of China,” Ambassador Yao Jing said in a Matrix interview.
Following are excerpts from Yao Jing’s interview:
# Both countries have been committed to, and observing some fundamental principles i.e. mutual respect, mutual support, non-interference in domestic affairs of each other, without challenging each other’s intentions or proposals. This stems from the belief that both nations and their leaders are working for the benefit of one another.
# Both nations are faced with a lot of challenges, have seen the ups and the downs of the regional and global situations, and even our own domestic situations but have faced them together.
# But no doubt whatsoever that when China is in difficulty, Pakistan is always there to lend its support. And when Pakistan is in difficulty or facing challenges, China without any hesitation steps forward to do whatever it can.
# CPEC denotes a new era of the time-tested much broader partnership and cooperation – based on the principles of mutual respect and mutual benefit. Both countries looking after their respective peoples and their nation’s welfare. This is the new dimension of this relationship.
# But CPEC is just a part of this friendship and Pakistan’s development. We know the sensitivities of each other, we are familiar with the priorities of each other and have total mutual confidence.
# Ties with Pakistan, therefore, serve as a model when we are conducting diplomacy with other countries in a complicated political environment.
# We appreciate the consensus in Pakistan on China and the understanding of China among all and sundry in Pakistan. The fact that successive Pakistani leadership and governments and even young and old understand the nature of the relationship.
# Pakistani support, first donation of anti-COVID equipment for China in February and then President Alvi’s visit to China in March was an extremely strong demonstration of confidence, solidarity with people of China.
# This is fundamental and this is the icing of what should be envied by other countries. So that is also the reason for China. We always say that relationship is a model for the nations with different histories, backgrounds, with the different social systems, even we have different value systems. But when we put that to the welfare of the people as a priority, I think that all the other differences could be handled on the basis of mutual respect, trust, and support to each other.
