International relations: Chinese scholar urges Pakistan, Russia to improve ties
Says threats from Russia are misplaced.
A Chinese scholar and journalist said that his country “desires better relations between Pakistan and Russia”, said a press release issued by the Institute of Regional Studies here on Thursday.
“Pakistan is China’s best friend internationally and Russia is the second best; China would welcome improvement of relationship between its two best friends,” said Prof Zhou Rong, chief of South Asia bureau of the daily Guang Ming.
Speaking at a roundtable discussion at the institute, Prof Rong argued that since India had become a world sought-after country and was gravitating towards the US, the Russians would also be interested in mending fences with the Pakistanis. Prof. Rong said that Pakistan’s fears of Russia are misplaced.
He said that Russia’s reach has shrunk significantly after the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991 and that it is now far away from Pakistan to threaten it militarily.
He emphasised the need for Pakistan to improve its relations with Russia while putting aside its misplaced fears.
Prof. Rong also said that Pakistan and China need to develop an energy and trade corridor through sea routs and also develop a train route across the Pak-China land border through Xinjiang and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 2nd, 2011.