Cementing bonds of Pak-China friendship

by Syed Qamar Afzal Rizvi

August 04, 2023
Edited by Daud khan 03251857880 Whatsapp

ON 30 July, the Chinese Vice Premier ‫ﻧﺎﺋﺐ ﺻﺪر ﯾﺎ وزﯾﺮاﻋﻈﻢ‬

HE Lifeng landed in Islamabad on a three-day visit to
attend a government-sponsored ‫زﯾﺮ اﮨﺘﻤﺎم‬
ِ ‫ﺣﮑﻮﻣﺖ ﮐﮯ‬
ceremony, thereby ‫ ﻟﮩﺬا‬،‫ اس ﻃﺮح‬marking the 10th
anniversary of their infrastructure development
collaboration ‫ ﺗﻌﺎون‬under China’s global Belt and Road
Initiative. Both countries say CPEC has brought more
than $25 billion in direct Chinese investment to
Pakistan, establishing power plants, developing the
strategically ‫ ﻣﺠﻤﻮﻋﯽ اور دﯾﺮﭘﺎ ﻣﻔﺎد ﮐﮯ ﺣﺼﻮل ﭘﺮ ﻣﺒﻨﯽ‬located
deepwater Pakistani port ‫ ﺑﻨﺪرﮔﺎہ‬of Gwadar on the
Arabian Sea and building transport infrastructure. HE
Lifeng’s current visit to Pakistan provides a new modus
vivendi to the future of Pak-China friendship.

The Pak-China friendship has witnessed ‫ دﯾﮑﮭﮯ‬،‫ﻣﺸﺎﮨﺪہ ﮐﯿﺎ‬

several strategic, diplomatic and economic pacts ‫ﻣﻌﺎﮨﺪے‬,
strengthening ‫ ﻣﻀﺒﻮط ﮨﻮﻧﺎ‬their relationship. Earlier, the
nature ‫ ﻧﻮﻋﯿﺖ‬of the relationship was
attentive ‫ﺳﺮﮔﺮم‬،‫ ﻣﺘﻮﺟﮧ‬to diplomacy and military;
however, both states started promoting economic
relations that led to the free trade agreement and China-
Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).They share the
history of internal instability ‫ ﻋﺪم اﺳﺘﺤﮑﺎم‬instigated ‫اﮐﺴﺎﺋﮯ‬
‫ ﯾﺎ ﺑﮭﮍﮐﺎﺋﮯ ﮔﺌﮯ‬by nefarious ‫ﻧﺎﭘﺎک‬،‫ ﻣﺬﻣﻮم‬non-state ‫ﻏﯿﺮ رﯾﺎﺳﺘﯽ‬
actors, which provides both nations an insight ‫ﻧﻈﺮ‬
into each other’s problems incited ‫ﻣﺸﺘﻌﻞ‬،‫ ﻣﺘﺤﺮک‬by
internal and external elements. Historically, China has
never wanted India to establish its hegemony ‫ ﺑﺎﻻدﺳﺘﯽ‬in
the region. Therefore, the resilient nature of both states
in the face of adversities ‫ ﻣﺸﮑﻼت‬and shared interests
makes them natural allies ‫ﻓﻄﺮی اﺗﺤﺎدی‬.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that

China hopes that Lifeng’s visit will be an opportunity to
implement ‫ ﻋﻤﻠﯽ ﺟﺎﻣﮧ ﭘﮩﻨﺎﻧﮯ‬،‫ ﻧﺎﻓﺬ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ‬the important
consensus ‫ اﺗﻔﺎق راﺋﮯ‬reached between leaders of the two
countries, continue to build on ‫ آﮔﮯ ﺑﮍﮬﺎﻧﮯ‬past
achievements and upgrade the development of the
CPEC. “Over the past decade, as an important
pioneering ‫ﺳﺐ ﺳﮯ ﭘﮩﻼ‬،‫ اﮨﻢ‬project of the BRI, CPEC has
achieved fruitful ‫ ﻧﺘﯿﺠﮧ ﺧﯿﺰ‬results and become a new
benchmark for the friendship between China and
Pakistan”. The countries “are all-weather strategic
cooperative partners and iron-clad ‫ ﭘﮑﮯ‬،‫ آﮨﻨﯽ‬friends,” the
Ministry added. As Chairman of the National
Development and Reform Commission from 2017 to
2023, Vice Premier was instrumental ‫ اﮨﻢ ﮐﺮدار ﮐﺮﻧﮯ واﻻ‬in
the planning and successful execution ‫ ﻋﻤﻞ درآﻣﺪ‬of
numerous ‫ ﺑﮯﺷﻤﺎر‬CPEC projects in Pakistan. His visit is a
testament ‫ ﺛﺒﻮت‬to the enduring ‫ ﭘﺎﺋﺪار‬bond ‫ ﺑﻨﺪﮬﻦ‬between
the two countries and their commitment ‫ ﻋﺰم‬to
enhancing ‫ ﺑﮍﮬﺎﻧﮯ‬their strategic partnership.

The 10th-anniversary celebrations marked ‫ ﻧﺸﺎن زد ﮐﯿﺎ‬a

decade of successful collaboration ‫ ﺗﻌﺎون‬and joint
projects in infrastructure, energy and economic
development projects that have significantly impacted
the lives of people in both nations. As the chief guest at
this special event, Vice Premier He Lifeng’s presence
symbolizes ‫ ﮐﯽ ﻋﻼﻣﺖ ﮨﮯ‬the friendship and shared vision
between China and Pakistan. Arguably ‫ﺑﻼﺷﺒﮧ‬،‫ﻗﺎﺑﻞ دﻟﯿﻞ‬,
ِ the
relationship between the states is generally based on
political expediencies ‫ﻣﺼﻠﺤﺖ‬, but such is not the case of
Pak-China relationship which is beyond any means of
political expediencies and therefore the scope of this
relationship is higher than the Himalayas and deeper
than the seas—this affirmation ‫ اﺛﺒﺎت‬has been reiterated
‫ اﻋﺎدہ ﮐﯿﺎ ﮔﯿﺎ‬by the Chinese Vice Premier in his speech
delivered on the eve of ‫ ﮐﮯ ﻣﻮﻗﻊ ﭘﺮ‬the 10th anniversary of
the CPEC.

Due to its strategic location, Pakistan has tremendous

‫ زﺑﺮدﺳﺖ‬economic growth potential, witnessing an
upward trend ‫ ﺑﮍﮬﻮﺗﺮی‬،‫ﺗﺮﻗﯽ‬. The agriculture and service
industry dominates ‫ ﭘﺮ ﺣﺎوی ﮨﮯ‬the economy, while
ً
industrialization ‫ ﺻﻨﻌﺖ ﮐﺎری‬is relatively ‫ﻧﺴﺒﺘﺎ‬ low. CPEC
has provided an essential foundation to Pakistan’s
economy to overcome ‫ ﻗﺎﺑﻮ ﭘﺎﻧﺎ‬this issue,
emphasizing ‫ زور دﯾﻨﺎ‬industrial development, including
energy, transportation ‫ ﻧﻘﻞ و ﺣﻤﻞ‬and infrastructure.
There are myriad ‫ ﺑﮯﺷﻤﺎر‬،‫ ﮨﺰارﮨﺎ‬opportunities for future
cooperation in technology and economy such as
agriculture technology, marine science, earth science,
information and communication technology. And most
importantly, tourism and culture are the main drivers
‫ ﻣﺤﺮک‬of economic growth.

The corridor is a model of the two nations’ adherence

‫ ﺛﺎﺑﺖ ﻗﺪﻣﯽ‬to joint construction and sharing of high-
quality resources, which has promoted the
socioeconomic progress of Pakistan, Li Yong, a senior
research fellow at the China Association of International
Trade, said on Sunday. The bilateral ‫ دوﻃﺮﻓﮧ‬relationship
between the two neighbouring countries is
characterized ‫ ﻣﺘﺼﻒ‬by feelings of mutual trust, respect
and goodwill ‫ ﺧﯿﺮﺳﮕﺎﻟﯽ‬towards each other.

Economically, China is Pakistan’s largest trading partner

and a major investor, especially in the infrastructure and
energy sectors ‫ﺷﻌﺒﮯ‬. During 2018, bilateral trade
between the two countries reached US$ 18 billion. With
the official launch of China Pakistan Economic Corridor
(CPEC), the bilateral relationship has been elevated ‫ﺗﮏ‬
‫ ﭘﮩﻨﭻ ﮔﺌﯽ‬to a higher level. CPEC is a flagship ‫ اﮨﻢ‬project of
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s initiative of “One Road
and One Belt”. It aims at enhancing ‫ ﺑﮍﮬﺎﻧﺎ‬connectivity
and improving infrastructure between Pakistan and
China. Several projects are being implemented under
CPEC for enhancement ‫ ﮐﻮ ﺑﮍﮬﺎﻧﮯ‬of infrastructure and
generation ‫ ﭘﯿﺪاوار‬of energy.

The year of 2015 was celebrated as the Year of Friendly

Exchanges between Pakistan and China and several
high profile events were organized including seminars,
exchange of visits and cultural events to highlight
people-to-people interactions ‫راﺑﻄﮯ‬. Trans ‫ اس ﭘﺎر ﮐﮯ‬-
transport infrastructure is the basic and prerequisite
‫ اوﮐﯿﻦ‬،‫ ﻻزﻣﯽ‬condition ‫ ﺷﺮط‬for the construction of the
CPEC. It is an important field that can be relied on ‫اﻧﺤﺼﺎر‬
‫ ﮐﯿﺎ ﺟﺎﺳﮑﺘﺎ ﮨﮯ‬to guide and drive ‫ آﮔﮯ ﺑﮍﮬﺎﻧﮯ‬the economic
and social development of regions along the CPEC,
besides promoting the interconnectivity ‫ ﺑﺎﮨﻤﯽ راﺑﻄﮧ‬and
all-round ‫ ﮨﻤﮧ ﮔﯿﺮ‬cooperation between China and
Pakistan for shared prosperity ‫ﻣﺸﺘﺮﮐﮧ ﺧﻮﺷﺤﺎﻟﯽ‬.

China has advantages in infrastructure construction,

high-quality production capacity ‫ ﭘﯿﺪاواری ﺻﻼﺣﯿﺖ‬in
equipment manufacturing ‫ﺳﺎز وﺳﺎﻣﺎن ﮐﯽ ﺗﯿﺎری‬, iron & steel
and cement industries as well as financing for
investment. While Pakistan owns ‫ ﮐﺎ ﻣﺎﻟﮏ ﮨﮯ‬rich human
and natural resources, huge potential for economic
growth and broad market prospects ‫ اﻣﮑﺎﻧﺎت‬besides ‫ﮐﮯ‬
‫ ﻋﻼوہ‬a geo-strategic ‫ﺟﻐﺮاﻓﯿﺎﺋﯽ ﺳﯿﺎﺳﺖ ﺳﮯ ﻣﺘﻌﻠﻖ ﻣﻔﺎد ﭘﺮ ﻣﺒﻨﯽ‬
location. The orderly ‫ ﻣﻨﻈﻢ‬and timely ‫ ﺑﺮوﻗﺖ‬flow of
economic factors in both countries along ‫ ﮐﮯﺳﺎﺗﮫ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ‬the
CPEC will significantly ‫ ﻧﻤﺎﯾﺎں ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ‬improve the resource
allocation ‫ ﺗﻘﺴﯿﻢ ﮐﯽ‬efficiency ‫ ﮐﺎرﮐﺮدﮔﯽ‬and bring into full
play the comparative ‫ ﺗﻮازﻧﯽ‬،‫ ﺗﻘﺎﺑﻠﯽ‬advantage of each
country.

And logically ‫ﻣﻨﻄﻘﯽ ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ‬, through the joint planning and
development of highways, railways, ports ‫ﺑﻨﺪرﮔﺎﮨﯿﮟ‬,
aviation ‫ ﮨﻮائ ﺟﮩﺎزوں ﮐﯽ ﺗﯿﺎری ﮐﺎ ﻋﻤﻞ‬and other
infrastructure, a convenient ‫آﺳﺎن‬, efficient ‫ ﻣﺆﺛﺮ‬and
integrated ‫ ﻣﺮﺑﻮط‬transport corridor that includes a
variety of modes ‫ ﻃﺮﯾﻘﮯ‬of transport can be formed to
achieve the transition ‫ ﻣﻨﺘﻘﻠﯽ‬from lagging behind ‫ﭘﯿﭽﮭﮯ‬
‫ رﮨﻨﺎ‬to adaptation ‫ ﻣﻮاﻓﻘﺖ‬and then to moderate ‫ﮨﻠﮑﺎ‬،‫ﻣﻌﺘﺪل‬
‫ ﮨﻠﮑﺎ‬advancement ‫ ﺗﺮﻗﯽ‬in the transport infrastructure of
the main nodes ‫ ﭼﻮراﮨﺎ‬،‫ ﺳﻨﮕﻢ‬along the CPEC.

In order to meet ‫ ﭘﻮرا ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬the needs of trade and

personnel exchanges between China and Pakistan for
the socio-economic ‫ ﺳﻤﺎﺟﯽ و اﻗﺘﺼﺎدی‬development of
regions along the CPEC, manifold ‫ ﮐﺊ ﮔﻨﺎ‬initiatives have
been planned to achieve the desired objectives. As the
CPEC enters into the second phase, it is divided into five
geographical functional zones from north to south:
Xinjiang foreign economic zone, northern border trade
logistics ‫ ﺳﺎﻣﺎن ﮐﯽ ﺗﺮﺳﯿﻞ‬،‫ ﻧﻘﻞ وﺣﻤﻞ‬and business corridor &
ecological reserve, eastern and central plain economic
zone, western logistics corridor business zone, and
southern coastal ‫ ﺳﺎﺣﻠﯽ‬logistics business zone.

Moreover, Pakistan’s agricultural exports to China

are growing rapidly, with a trade surplus of 13
times increase in 2021, and total agricultural
export volume is expected to exceed ‫ ﺗﺠﺎوز ﺟﺮﻧﺎ‬US
$1 billion in 2022. During the meeting (November,
2022) with President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister
Shehbaz said that deepening cooperation in CPEC
and other areas with China is the future direction
and the only choice for Pakistan. China will join
hands with Pakistan to better transform ‫ﻣﻨﺘﻘﻞ ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬
Pakistan’s geographical advantages, resource
advantages and labor advantages into export
competitiveness and economic growth. The current
MoUs signed during the current visit of Vice Premier He
lifeng reflect the vistas ‫راﮨﯿﮟ‬،‫ ﻣﻨﻈﺮ‬of cementing ‫ﻣﻀﺒﻮط‬
partnership between Beijing and Islamabad.

—The writer, an independent ‘IR’ researcher-cum-

international law analyst based in Pakistan, is member
of European Consortium for Political Research Standing
Group on IR, Critical Peace & Conflict Studies, also a
member of Washington Foreign Law Society and
European Society of International Law. He deals with the
strategic and nuclear issues

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), known within China as

the One Belt One Road or OBOR for short, is a global
infrastructure development strategy adopted by the
Chinese government in 2013 to invest in more than 150
countries and international organizations.

China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC): ‫ﭼﯿﻦ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن‬

‫ )اﻗﺘﺼﺎدی راﮨﺪاری‬is a 3000 km Chinese infrastructure
network project undertaken in Pakistan. This sea-and-
land based corridor is aimed to secure and reduce the
passage for China's energy imports from the Middle
East by avoiding existing route from the Straits of
Malacca between Malaysia and Indonesia, which in
case of a war could be blocked and thus hampering the
Chinese energy dependent economic avenues.
Developing a deep water port at Gwadar in Arabian
Sea and a well built road and rail line from this port
to Xinjiang Province in western China would be a
shortcut for boosting the trade between Europe and
China. In Pakistan, its aim is to overcome an electricity
shortfall, infrastructural development and modernize
transportation networks. Along with shifting it from an
agricultural based economic structure to industrial
based.
modus vivendi
noun
an arrangement allowing people or groups of people who
have
different opinions or beliefs to work or live together:
Our two countries must
put aside the memory of war and seek a modus vivendi

The National Development and Reform Commission is a

macroeconomic management agency under the State
Council, which has broad administrative and planning
control over the economy of Mainland China. It has
reputation of being the "mini-state council".
Founded: November 1952.

give/allow something full play

idiom
to develop and use emotions or ideas completely:
to make something relevant.
This expression means to add a new factor to an
existing situation that may change the outcome, or it
can mean to activate an already existing factor that had
not been having an effect.

Ecological reserves are areas selected to preserve

representative and special natural ecosystems, plant
and animal species, features, and phenomena.
trade surplus
noun
the amount by which the value of a country's exports
exceeds the cost of its imports.

MoUs
A memorandum of understanding is a type of
agreement between two or more parties. It expresses a
convergence of will between the parties, indicating an
intended common line of action
Pak-Afghan relations

by Sehrish Khan
August 4, 2023

THE cold ‫ ﺑﮯﭘﺮواہ‬،‫ ﺳﺮد ﻣﮩﺮ‬attitude of the Taliban interim

‫ ﻋﺒﻮری‬government towards Pakistan, including the safe
havens ‫ ﭘﻨﺎہ ﮔﺎﮨﯿﮟ‬of the outlawed ‫ ﮐﺎﻟﻌﺪم‬TTP in
Afghanistan, is causing new challenges to our national
security and sovereignty ‫ﺧﻮدﻣﺨﺘﺎری‬. Since the systematic
‫ ﻣﻨﻈﻢ‬attacks on state institutions and military
installations ‫ ﺗﻨﺼﯿﺒﺎت‬on 9 May, Pakistani soldiers have
been continuously targeted by the enemy. From North
Waziristan to Balochistan, the roots of these terrorist
activities reach Afghanistan.

The tragedy ‫ اﻟﻤﯿﮧ‬is that during the previous regime

‫ﺣﮑﻮﻣﺖ‬, the convicted ‫ ﺳﺰاﯾﺎﻓﺘﮧ‬terrorists of TTP were
released and there was talk of resettling ‫دوﺑﺎرہ آﺑﺎد ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬
these 40,000 people in the country. The successive
‫ ﻣﺴﻠﺴﻞ‬attacks on state institutions in recent days are an
indication of the growing closeness ‫ ﻗﺮﺑﺖ‬of the
outlawed ‫ ﮐﺎﻟﻌﺪم‬TTP and Daesh. The Taliban Government
has also been blaming Pakistan instead of abiding by ‫ﭘﺮ‬
‫ ﭘﺎﺳﺪاری ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬،‫ ﻗﺎﺋﻢ رﮨﻨﺎ‬the Doha Peace Agreement.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman ‫ ﺗﺮﺟﻤﺎن‬of the Afghan
Interim Government, says that there are no terrorists in
Afghanistan.

If Pakistan has evidence, show it, we will take action.

Zabihullah Mujahid may be forgetting that TTP
commander Tariq Swati alias ‫“ ﻋﺮف‬Broken Button”
involved in the Dasu bus attack was killed in
Afghanistan. Apart from this ‫اس ﮐﮯ ﻋﻼوہ‬, the death of
several TTP terrorists on Afghan soil are a clear proof of
their presence there. Pakistan is a major trading partner
of Afghanistan. According to the Afghan Ministry of
Finance, Pakistan-Afghan trade between 22 December
2017 and December 2018 was 1437 million US dollars.

Every day 8 to 10 thousand patients come from

Afghanistan to Pakistan for treatment. Every day, 20 to
25 thousand Afghan nationals ‫ ﺷﮩﺮی‬cross the border
through Torkham, Ghulam Khan, Kar Lai, Chaman and
Shamsulzai crossing points. In the past, Pakistan sent
thousands of metric tons of wheat to Afghanistan to
help the Afghan people. What did they give in return? But
terror attacks on Pakistani outposts ‫ﭼﻮﮐﯿﻮں‬, India-
hatched ‫ رﭼﯽ ﯾﺎ ﺑﻨﺎئ ﮔﺊ‬anti-Pakistani conspiracies ‫ﺳﺎزﺷﯿﮟ‬,
hateful rhetoric ‫ ﺑﯿﺎن ﺑﺎزی‬against Pakistan and safe
havens ‫ ﭘﻨﺎہ ﮔﺎﮨﯿﮟ‬for terrorists on Afghan soil! It is a bitter
reality that Afghanistan’s expression of goodwill
‫ ﺧﯿﺮﺳﮕﺎﻟﯽ‬was rare.
Even today, evil elements ‫ ﺷﺮﭘﺴﻨﺪ ﻋﻨﺎﺻﺮ‬cross the border
and carry out sabotage ‫ ﺗﺨﺮﯾﺐ ﮐﺎری ﮐﯽ‬operations ‫ﮐﺎرواﺋﯿﺎں‬
in Pakistan and then escape ‫ ﻓﺮار ﮨﻮﺗﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ‬back to
Afghanistan. Those who shed ‫ ﺑﮩﺎﯾﺎ‬the blood of innocent
Pakistanis have safe havens ‫ ﭘﻨﺎہ ﮔﺎﮨﯿﮟ‬there. Pakistan has
left no stone unturned to bring the parties to the
negotiating ‫ ﻣﺬاﮐﺮات ﮐﯽ‬table for the “peace process”, but
the Taliban government spokesperson ‫ ﺗﺮﺟﻤﺎن‬has made
it clear that they had an agreement with the US, not
Pakistan. However, the fact is that Pakistan has played a
key role in the Doha Peace Agreement and this positive
peace effort of Pakistan was also appreciated at the
international level.

The West and India are using TTP in their nefarious ‫ﻧﺎﭘﺎک‬
‫ﻣﺬﻣﻮم‬، plans to destabilize ‫ ﻏﯿﺮﻣﺴﺘﺤﮑﻢ ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬the region ‫ﺧﻄﮧ‬.
Pakistan’s growing proximity ‫ ﻗﺮﺑﺖ‬to China and Iran has
made them uneasy ‫ﺑﮯﭼﯿﻦ‬. The world is deeply
concerned ‫ ﻓﮑﺮﻣﻨﺪ‬about the Economic Corridor project
and the Gwadar port agreements. That is why India has
spread its terror net in Afghanistan under a well-thought-
out ‫ ﺳﻮﭼﯽ ﺳﻤﺠﮭﯽ‬strategy. Peace in the region is being
undermined ‫ ﻧﻘﺼﺎن ﭘﮩﻨﭽﻨﺎ‬،‫ ﻣﺠﺮوح ﮨﻮﻧﺎ‬by anti-Pakistan
Afghan bureaucracy and intelligence operators. This is a
heavy responsibility on the Taliban government.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in
Islamabad.

. Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is a Pakistan and

Afghanistan-based terrorist organization formed in
2007. TTP aims to push the Pakistani government out of
Khyber Pakhtunkwa province (formally known as the
Federally Administered Tribal Areas) and establish
Sharia law through acts of terrorism.

Daesh
The Islamic State, also known as the Islamic State of
Iraq and the Levant, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and
by its Arabic acronym Da'ish or Daesh, is a transnational
militant Islamist terrorist group and former
unrecognized quasi-state that follows the Salafi jihadist
branch of Sunni Islam.
Founded: April 2013

The Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan,

commonly known as the US–Taliban deal or the Doha
Agreement, was a peace agreement signed by the
United States and the Taliban on February 29, 2020 in
Doha, Qatar, to bring an end to the 2001–2021 war in
Afghanistan.
leave no stone unturned
try every possible course of action in order to achieve
something

Todays words Synonyms

incite (verb)
stir up, whip up, work up, encourage, fan the flames of

nefarious (adjective)
wicked, evil, sinful, iniquitous, villainous, criminal,
heinous

strengthen (verb)
make strong/stronger, build up, give strength to, make
healthy

sabotage (verb)
wreck, deliberately damage, vandalize, destroy, obstruct

node (noun)
junction, fork, branching, intersection, interchange
hatch (verb)
devise, conceive, contrive, concoct, brew, invent, plan

undermine (verb)
subvert, sabotage, threaten, weaken, compromise,
diminish