Pakistan rejects trade or new cold wars with China: Mushahid

Senator terms BRI as the most important diplomatic and developmental initiative of the 21st century

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Senator Mushahid Hussain said on Monday that Pakistan rejects any trade war or cold war with China.

Speaking during the launch event of a book on the leadership of the Chinese president, authored by Group Captain (retd) Sultan M Haali, Senator Mushahid lauded the leadership of Xi Jinping.

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“President Xi has placed China at the centre stage of global politics leading the struggle against climate change, supporting globalisation as well as launching the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of which CPEC is the flagship project,” he said.

Senator Mushahid termed BRI as the most important diplomatic and developmental initiative of the 21st century.

He thanked China for not just supporting CPEC but also to provide strategic support to Pakistan at all international forums including the UN Security Council, G-20 and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

Senator Mushahid termed CPEC as a “success story” and said, the best of the CPEC was yet to come after the second phase of the corridor started with the launch of Special Economic Zones (SEZs).

Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing on this occasion said, “Pakistan-China relations have stood the test of changing times and their relationship today is more robust and resilient.”

Visiting scholar from China, Professor Li Xiguang in his keynote address talked about the compatibility of Islamic civilisation with the Chinese civilisation.

The chair of the event, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Masood Khan termed China as Pakistan’s ‘best’ friend.

“CPEC projects in AJK are beneficial for the economy and employment in Azad Kashmir,” said AJK president.

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Former Foreign Minister Tariq Fatemi and former Defence Secretary Lieutenant General (Retd) Asif Yasin Malik also spoke on the occasion. According to them, despite efforts to undermine CPEC and Pak-China relations, ties between the two countries was so strong that it would withstand all kinds of pressures from any quarter.

A large number of people attended the book launch event which was organised by the Pakistan-China Institute.