Premier Wen Jiabao has wisely described the friendship between Pakistan and China as a “lush tree with deep roots and thick foliage, full of vigour and vitality,” said Pakistan’s Ambassador to China,
Masood Khan.The Chinese Premier made these remarks on the morning of December 19, while addressing a packed session of Pakistani parliament during his official visit to Pakistan.“The sentimental bond between our peoples is thus a constant image.An aura of warmth and affection permeates our relations. Diplomats in Beijing and around the world hear with some amusement the poetic expressions suggesting that Pakistan-China friendship is all-weather and time-tested; and that this relationship is taller than the Himalayas and deeper than oceans; and that it is stronger than steel, and sweeter than honey,” wrote Ambassador Khan in an article published in Beijing Review’s special supplement on the 60th anniversary of Pakistan-China friendship.
He said that “Some do offer envious compliments and ask about the secret of the longevity and depth of this relationship.The people of Pakistan and China evoke these poetic images with sincerity of conviction and feel that they still do not fully capture the depth of their feelings towards each other.”
To make an attempt to figure out the secret of this unique bond, Ambassador Khan said, “the first crucible of our friendship has been history. Scholars and students are familiar with recent history of Pakistan-China relations. But our relations go far back. It is obvious that the territories of Pakistan and China are joined by mountains and rivers so-called geographical fault lines. Pakistan and China also share civilizational fault lines. Monks and envoys traversed the daunting heights of the Karakorum, the Hindukush and the Himalayas to connect the Gandhara and the Indus Valley civilizations with the Chinese civilization”.
He said that Fa Xian and Xuan Zang, in the fourth and seventh centuries respectively, were not deterred by the inaccessible altitudes of these mountain ranges. Many scholars from the territory that is now Pakistantraveled to China to understand and imbibe the glorious civilization of China.So, cross-fertilization of our civilizations took place much before the modern era.
The founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 was a truly historic event. And so was the independence of Pakistan in 1947. Pakistan recognized China on January 4, 1950, and established diplomatic relations on May 21, 1951 following negotiations with Pakistan’s first Charge d’ Affaires who had arrived in Beijing in April 1951. The first Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan went to Karachi in September 1951 and Pakistan’s first Ambassador to China arrived in Peking on November 1, 1951.
“These are the beginnings that we shall celebrate this year after six decades. The year 2011 has been designated the Year of China-Pakistan Friendship. We have decided to hold a series of activities in the political, economic, trade, military, cultural, sporting and educational fields to commemorate the strength of our bilateral relations and to show the resolve to take it to new heights” Khan wrote in the article.
He said “we can identify three periods in our relations. Because of the Cold War, the 1950s was a period of uncertainty in Pakistan-China relations,though efforts started right in the beginning for engagement. During the Bandung Conference in 1955, Premier Zhou Enlai and Prime Minister Mohammad Ali Bogra agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between the two countries. On May 23, 1955 Chairman Mao Zedong, while talking to our Ambassador in Beijing, Mr. Sultanuddin Ahmed, expressed the hope that, given goodwill between the two countries, relations would grow stronger and friendlier”.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the leadership of the two countries steered Pakistan-China relations towards closer understanding and solidarity. In 1961, Pakistan voted for the restoration of China’s seat in the United Nations. In 1963, China and Pakistan signed a boundary agreement.This was a very significant milestone as it underlined and displayed the emerging trust between the two neighbours.
The agreement was signed in February 1963 in Beijing by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. This also showed Pakistan’s independence in its foreign policy and its growing faith in Sino-Pakistan friendship.
From this point onward, Ambassador Khan said, “the third phase of relations between our two nations began which was characterized by mutual confidence, deep trust, and growing cooperation.This period can be called a period of consolidation and expansion and it has continued up to this point.
In May 1964, Premier Zhou Enlai, while recalling his visit to Pakistan,said: “we found ourselves at all times living in an atmosphere of profound friendship, which the Pakistani people cherished for the Chinese people,and (we) were greatly moved by that.
“In the succeeding decades, China and Pakistan have not only deepened their ties but stood by each other in difficult times. China helped us during the 1965 and 1971 wars. We advocated China’s entry into the United Nations. We also facilitated rapprochement between the US and China through quiet diplomacy. We have coordinated our policies during the turbulent period of the Afghan resistance against the Soviet Union in 1980s; and are now cooperating in the fight against terrorism.
“As we come to the recent history of Pakistan-China relations, we express
satisfaction from the fact that the two sides have fashioned a very effective, practical, and flexible architecture for engagement and cooperation in strategic, defense, economic, commercial, and cultural fields. This architecture is responsive to the changing times,” Ambassador Khan said.
Pak-China Joint Statement, issued in Islamabad on December 19, 2010 on the conclusion of Premier Wen Jiabao’s historic visit to Pakistan,highlighted the following points: (1) It is important to deepen the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic partnership; (2) China-Pakistan relations have gone beyond bilateral dimensions and acquired broader regional and international ramifications; (3) Friendship and cooperation between Pakistan and China serve the fundamental interests of the two countries, and contribute to peace, stability and development in the region and beyond; and (4) The two sides will enhance their strategic coordination, advance pragmatic cooperation, and work together to meet the challenges in pursuit of common development.
Pursuing friendship with China has become the bedrock of Pakistan’s foreign policy which enjoys consensus across the political spectrum. Pakistan deeply appreciates the support and assistance China has given for our economic and social development. We fully support China’s principled stand on Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang, and other human rights issues.
Chinese Government and people reciprocate these sentiments and consider Pakistan to be their most reliable friend and partner. Developing relations with Pakistan is high on China’s diplomatic agenda. China supports Pakistan’s efforts in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
The fuel for this relationship comes from the hearts and minds of the people. The prudent, farsighted policies of their governments buttress it through multiple frameworks.
The 2005 Pakistan-China Treaty for Friendship and Cooperation and Good Neighbourly Relations is a key instrument which enables us to strengthen our strategic, economic and cultural relations. High-level visits play a crucial role in this regard.
In December last year, Pakistan and China decided to establish an annual meeting mechanism between leaders, set up foreign ministers’ dialogue mechanism and reinforce contact and dialogue between the foreign ministries.
Since 2008, President Asif Ali Zardari has visited China six times and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani three times. Last year, Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang visited Pakistan.
Ambassador Khan pointed out that “this year we will make special efforts to promote understanding and friendship between our two peoples by enhancing exchanges in culture, education, media, sports, tourism, and public health.
We would especially encourage visits by researchers and scholars so that they could give depth and perspective to the narrative of Pakistan-China friendship. Within this context, our emphasis is on exchanges between younger generations of Pakistan and China so that they can inherit this narrative and propagate it.
“In all these endeavours, we would work closely with our great neighbor China. Pakistanis without exception are proud of China’s extraordinary success and we hope that China would continue to grow in its stature and the world would continue to benefit from China’s quest for regional and global peace and prosperity”.
He said “amongst all political forces in Pakistan, there is unanimity that we should strengthen Pakistan’s ties with China. We shall maintain that tradition and take our relations and friendship to new heights. APP
Masood Khan.The Chinese Premier made these remarks on the morning of December 19, while addressing a packed session of Pakistani parliament during his official visit to Pakistan.“The sentimental bond between our peoples is thus a constant image.An aura of warmth and affection permeates our relations. Diplomats in Beijing and around the world hear with some amusement the poetic expressions suggesting that Pakistan-China friendship is all-weather and time-tested; and that this relationship is taller than the Himalayas and deeper than oceans; and that it is stronger than steel, and sweeter than honey,” wrote Ambassador Khan in an article published in Beijing Review’s special supplement on the 60th anniversary of Pakistan-China friendship.
He said that “Some do offer envious compliments and ask about the secret of the longevity and depth of this relationship.The people of Pakistan and China evoke these poetic images with sincerity of conviction and feel that they still do not fully capture the depth of their feelings towards each other.”
To make an attempt to figure out the secret of this unique bond, Ambassador Khan said, “the first crucible of our friendship has been history. Scholars and students are familiar with recent history of Pakistan-China relations. But our relations go far back. It is obvious that the territories of Pakistan and China are joined by mountains and rivers so-called geographical fault lines. Pakistan and China also share civilizational fault lines. Monks and envoys traversed the daunting heights of the Karakorum, the Hindukush and the Himalayas to connect the Gandhara and the Indus Valley civilizations with the Chinese civilization”.
He said that Fa Xian and Xuan Zang, in the fourth and seventh centuries respectively, were not deterred by the inaccessible altitudes of these mountain ranges. Many scholars from the territory that is now Pakistantraveled to China to understand and imbibe the glorious civilization of China.So, cross-fertilization of our civilizations took place much before the modern era.
The founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 was a truly historic event. And so was the independence of Pakistan in 1947. Pakistan recognized China on January 4, 1950, and established diplomatic relations on May 21, 1951 following negotiations with Pakistan’s first Charge d’ Affaires who had arrived in Beijing in April 1951. The first Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan went to Karachi in September 1951 and Pakistan’s first Ambassador to China arrived in Peking on November 1, 1951.
“These are the beginnings that we shall celebrate this year after six decades. The year 2011 has been designated the Year of China-Pakistan Friendship. We have decided to hold a series of activities in the political, economic, trade, military, cultural, sporting and educational fields to commemorate the strength of our bilateral relations and to show the resolve to take it to new heights” Khan wrote in the article.
He said “we can identify three periods in our relations. Because of the Cold War, the 1950s was a period of uncertainty in Pakistan-China relations,though efforts started right in the beginning for engagement. During the Bandung Conference in 1955, Premier Zhou Enlai and Prime Minister Mohammad Ali Bogra agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between the two countries. On May 23, 1955 Chairman Mao Zedong, while talking to our Ambassador in Beijing, Mr. Sultanuddin Ahmed, expressed the hope that, given goodwill between the two countries, relations would grow stronger and friendlier”.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the leadership of the two countries steered Pakistan-China relations towards closer understanding and solidarity. In 1961, Pakistan voted for the restoration of China’s seat in the United Nations. In 1963, China and Pakistan signed a boundary agreement.This was a very significant milestone as it underlined and displayed the emerging trust between the two neighbours.
The agreement was signed in February 1963 in Beijing by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. This also showed Pakistan’s independence in its foreign policy and its growing faith in Sino-Pakistan friendship.
From this point onward, Ambassador Khan said, “the third phase of relations between our two nations began which was characterized by mutual confidence, deep trust, and growing cooperation.This period can be called a period of consolidation and expansion and it has continued up to this point.
In May 1964, Premier Zhou Enlai, while recalling his visit to Pakistan,said: “we found ourselves at all times living in an atmosphere of profound friendship, which the Pakistani people cherished for the Chinese people,and (we) were greatly moved by that.
“In the succeeding decades, China and Pakistan have not only deepened their ties but stood by each other in difficult times. China helped us during the 1965 and 1971 wars. We advocated China’s entry into the United Nations. We also facilitated rapprochement between the US and China through quiet diplomacy. We have coordinated our policies during the turbulent period of the Afghan resistance against the Soviet Union in 1980s; and are now cooperating in the fight against terrorism.
“As we come to the recent history of Pakistan-China relations, we express
satisfaction from the fact that the two sides have fashioned a very effective, practical, and flexible architecture for engagement and cooperation in strategic, defense, economic, commercial, and cultural fields. This architecture is responsive to the changing times,” Ambassador Khan said.
Pak-China Joint Statement, issued in Islamabad on December 19, 2010 on the conclusion of Premier Wen Jiabao’s historic visit to Pakistan,highlighted the following points: (1) It is important to deepen the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic partnership; (2) China-Pakistan relations have gone beyond bilateral dimensions and acquired broader regional and international ramifications; (3) Friendship and cooperation between Pakistan and China serve the fundamental interests of the two countries, and contribute to peace, stability and development in the region and beyond; and (4) The two sides will enhance their strategic coordination, advance pragmatic cooperation, and work together to meet the challenges in pursuit of common development.
Pursuing friendship with China has become the bedrock of Pakistan’s foreign policy which enjoys consensus across the political spectrum. Pakistan deeply appreciates the support and assistance China has given for our economic and social development. We fully support China’s principled stand on Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang, and other human rights issues.
Chinese Government and people reciprocate these sentiments and consider Pakistan to be their most reliable friend and partner. Developing relations with Pakistan is high on China’s diplomatic agenda. China supports Pakistan’s efforts in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
The fuel for this relationship comes from the hearts and minds of the people. The prudent, farsighted policies of their governments buttress it through multiple frameworks.
The 2005 Pakistan-China Treaty for Friendship and Cooperation and Good Neighbourly Relations is a key instrument which enables us to strengthen our strategic, economic and cultural relations. High-level visits play a crucial role in this regard.
In December last year, Pakistan and China decided to establish an annual meeting mechanism between leaders, set up foreign ministers’ dialogue mechanism and reinforce contact and dialogue between the foreign ministries.
Since 2008, President Asif Ali Zardari has visited China six times and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani three times. Last year, Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang visited Pakistan.
Ambassador Khan pointed out that “this year we will make special efforts to promote understanding and friendship between our two peoples by enhancing exchanges in culture, education, media, sports, tourism, and public health.
We would especially encourage visits by researchers and scholars so that they could give depth and perspective to the narrative of Pakistan-China friendship. Within this context, our emphasis is on exchanges between younger generations of Pakistan and China so that they can inherit this narrative and propagate it.
“In all these endeavours, we would work closely with our great neighbor China. Pakistanis without exception are proud of China’s extraordinary success and we hope that China would continue to grow in its stature and the world would continue to benefit from China’s quest for regional and global peace and prosperity”.
He said “amongst all political forces in Pakistan, there is unanimity that we should strengthen Pakistan’s ties with China. We shall maintain that tradition and take our relations and friendship to new heights. APP
