By Siffatullah
“China will give you (Pakistan) every support and assistance and by helping you, we have to help ourselves”.
This was stated by Chinese Prime Minister Mr. LI Kegiang on May 23, 2013, during his visit to Pakistan.
An analysis of this statement would reveal that, Chinese Prime Minister has acknowledged the geopolitical location and strategic significance of Pakistan for the China. Besides, this statement is indeed the recognition of such a reality, which very less scholars and strategists have debated on while describing the unyielding foundation and continuity thereafter of the Pak-China relationship. In fact, during the formative years of People’s Republic of China (PRC), Pakistan was instrumental to global recognition of China, where Communist won over the Nationalists and world community was more biased towards later.
So much so, the Republic of China (Taiwan) was allowed to maintain the status of the successor state of primitive China until October 1971. Pakistan alongwith some other sympathizers of China had to lobby a lot in the Western world and elsewhere among the Muslim world for giving PRC, the actual status of successor state of old China, being he mainland. Later, PRC was given the status of permanent members of United Nations Security Council in November 1971.
It was Nixon era in United States and Pakistan undertook a secret diplomacy for bridging the wide gulf between US and PRC. This new era of bilateral relationship brought these to countries closer together in the global politics, thus paying the way for Chine permanent membership of UNSC. Since 1971 ROC is out of UN membership and hopefully it will be united back to its parent country, the People’s Republic of China.
Upon detonation of its nuclear device in 1964, China becomes part of declared nuclear states and later a signatory of NPT in 1968. Then after Indo-China War-1962, China remained in a state of constant threat, especially in the wake of US and Western military and financial support to India. Since India was a rival state of Pakistan, therefore major focus of Pakistani defence has been towards India. In a way, India was militarily engaged by Pakistan throughout, practically freeing China from an active Indian threat and a likely military aggression. This does not mean that Pakistan has been fighting with India as a proxy to China, however, Indo-Pak military engagement throughout the history has minimized the active military threats for China.
Furthermore, Pakistan had a say in the Muslim world, therefore, played an important role in brining together China and fifty-seven countries Muslim world. Today China enjoys an excellent relationship with all Muslim countries. Since Pakistan played a vital role in brining together the major power houses of world and China, therefore, Chinese Premier, Mr. Li Kegiang was perhaps acknowledging the Pakistani contributions towards China. Pakistan is determined to continue these relations in the day to come. Sine the international relations is based on mutuality, therefore, China has been reciprocating the Pakistani assistance to this giant in the subsequent years.
Being a Permanent member of the UNSC, China has been supporting the Pakistani view point at the international level. Otherwise, there has been unanimity in the views of Pakistan and China on most of the regional and global issues. China considered Kashmir dispute as the main hurdle in the regional prosperity of South Asia, especially; Pakistan and India. It has been emphasizing both counties for the resolution of the issue as per the wishes of its people and in accordance with the UN resolutions.
China has been supporting the Pakistani stance on Kashmir and condemned the Indian obstinacy, which hindered its resolution after sixty-six years. On the issue of terrorism, Pakistan and China have similar views. Both consider this menace as the worst enemies of their people and counties.
Pakistan has a clear position that East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is a terrorist organization and China has a clear stance that TTP is terrorist organization, being financed and harboured by anti-Pakistan forces. Contrary to Pakistan’s Western allies, China has always valued the Pakistani contributions during the war against terror. Indeed, China “respects the anti-terrorism strategy developed and implemented by the Pakistani side in light of its own conditions.
