The Tree of China-Pakistan Friendship

‘The tree of China-Pakistan friendship was planted decades ago, nurtured by successive leaders and is now exuberant with abundant fruits’ .Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during his visit to Pakistan

VISIT OF THE CHINESE PREMIER
The key feature of Mr Li’s visit to Pakistan was the demonstration of a democratic culture in Pakistan where, the heads of all political parties were invited for a luncheon at the Presidency.

Mr Keqiang elaborated that he selected Pakistan for his official visit to give a clear and loud message to the international community that ‘whatsoever happens at the international scene, our relations with Pakistan will continue to flourish and strengthen further China is working with Pakistan in economic and strategic realms.

Pakistan is of huge economic and strategic interests to China. The vital part of this engagement is China’s operational control of Gwadar deepwater seaport that could serve as a vital economic hub for Beijing. Gwadar port occupies a strategic location between South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. It lies near the Strait of Hormuz, gateway for about 20 per cent of the world’s oil transportation.  When complete, the port will be a key shipping lane and will open up an energy and trade corridor from the Gulf, across Pakistan to western China, and could be used by the Chinese Navy, upsetting India.

Traditionally, Pak-China ties are based on:
(i) shared principles
(ii) mutual interest entailing cooperation in diverse fields
(iii) identical views on important world is    sues, and
(iv) cooperation at international forums

Currently, more than 100 Chinese companies are working in Pakistan with an investment of about $2bn.

China intends to explore available and new markets in Pakistan to develop an ‘economic corridor’ that will not only be an impetus to economic activities but will also restore peace in the region. China is already assisting Pakistan in several energy projects that include nuclear reactors. It has also provided two reactors, each with a capacity of 300MW, at Chashma in Punjab.

Chinese premier expressed his wish to raise the volume of bilateral trade from $12 billion to $15bn by 2015. Besides, he expressed his interest to invest in private and public sectors, particularly as joint ventures in energy, agriculture, livestock and information technology.

On the issue of cooperation on counterterrorism, Pakistan reiterated its resolve that it considers any threat to China as a threat to Pakistan and both the countries vowed to carry on excellent cooperation between security agencies of the two countries.

According to a foreign office statement, a total of 11 agreements were signed between China and Pakistan as part of efforts to further strengthen ties. The agreements include MoUs on maritime cooperation, boundary management, border ports, economic and technical cooperation and cooperation in the field of satellite navigation.

NAWAZ SHARIF IN CHINA
After assuming power, Mian Nawaz Sharif chose China for his first foreign visit, an initiative appreciated and welcomed by China as well. This four-day visit focused upon enhancing ‘economic cooperation’ through Pakistan-China economic corridor, and the ‘energy cooperation’. Energy was at the top of the agenda during negotiations. During this visit, Pakistani premier met the leaders from China Investment Corporation, Sovereign Wealth Fund, China Development Bank, and China Power Investment Corporation. On this occasion, eight agreements were signed which include:

(i)    Economic corridor with 2,000 kilometre road and rail link connecting the northwestern city of Kashgar to Gwadar port.
(ii)    Lahore-Karachi motorways
(iii)    A pact on economic and technical cooperation
(iv)    Training courses for textiles, flood relief and disaster management
(v)    The provision of equipment for eradicating polio from Pakistan
(vi)    A $44 million agreement on setting a fibre-optic cable from China-Pakistan border to Rawalpindi.
(vii)    A memorandum by Strategic Communication Organization of Pakistan and Huawei Technologies.
(viii)    An MoU on a solar energy project.

The cost of the economic corridor is estimated at $18 billion. This project is expected to be fruitful on both economic and strategic fronts. This route will boost economic growth and bring critical oil supplies to power-hungry China much faster.

Another agreement for a fibre-optic cable to be laid from Chinese border to Rawalpindi will boost Pakistan’s access to international communications networks. For this, China will provide 85 per cent of the $44 million budget, with Pakistan covering the rest.

In addition, Lahore-Karachi Motorway will promote business activities between Sindh and Punjab. It would be further beneficial for the whole country when it would be linked to the Kashgar-Gwadar highway.

In the energy sector, along with an MoU on a solar energy project, it was also agreed to resume the construction of the stalled Nandipur Power Project. The latest news suggest that the machinery has reached at the said plant.

The threat of militancy was also chewed over during discussions. Unfortunately, a week before Mr Sharif’s China visit, the unknown attackers shot dead 10 foreign mountaineers including two Chinese climbers. This violent action sparked unrest and concerns in Chinese government and enhanced their demands for safety and security of their citizens in Pakistan. China is also concerned about the separatist East Turkestan Islamic Movement that demands a separate homeland for Muslims in China’s western Xinjiang region. China seeks Pakistan’s assurance for safeguarding its national integrity and Pakistan also assured China to defend her sovereignty and to take action against the militants, if any, in Pakistan.

Both leaders also affirmed their support for stable post-withdrawal Afghanistan in its efforts for peace, stability and security. They vowed to provide a helping hand to the regional countries and the international community in this regard.

Both the leaders reiterated their commitment to people-centric projects and policies focusing poverty alleviation projects, social and economic development, curbing terrorism and violence and thinning roots of conflict in the region.

By: Ishrat Abbasi