The Chinese era

China’s rise to glory is no secret. It is undoubtedly the most competent and eligible competitor of this era. What differentiates it from other major powers, especially the reigning superpower, the US, is its national resilience and recourse to a proactive diplomacy, rather than opting for gunboat realpolitik. The case in point is its umpteen discords on the global mosaic ranging from Taiwan to India, and from ASEAN to Australia and Washington. But its principled approach to address the bilateral differences in the trade and territorial realms through soft power is unprecedented, and makes it a responsible player on the world stage. Its recent diplomacy in the Middle East and Afghanistan is laudable and convincingly puts it on the map of world leadership.

President Xi Jinping leads from the front in making the difference felt on the global horizon. The fact that China has lifted 70 million people in the last three decades from the abyss of poverty is an unparalleled achievement. Likewise, its BRI that plans to link five continents and around 100 states in commerce and connectivity is a landmark feast. Coupled with this is its global development and security paradigms that shun warfare and encourage member states to work for collective prosperity.

Pakistan being an immediate neighbour and an all-weather friend of China cannot be indifferent. There are several economic and strategic denominators that cobble them to form a joint front, and Islamabad has passionately made such a choice. The growing military amalgamation between the two countries and the flagship $60 billion CPEC that connects China to the warm waters in Balochistan’s Gwadar port is a game-changer in their interstate relations. The high profile visits between the two countries by civil and military leaders, and the recent sojourn of Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang to Islamabad, and his peace initiatives for landlocked Afghanistan, have simply proved beyond doubt that Pakistan is an indispensable strategic ally. That is why Beijing’s untiring efforts to buckle up Pakistan’s economy by saving it from default are a visionary move. The bilateral amalgamation to new heights is a win-win equation for the region and beyond.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2023.

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