Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. PHOTO: AFP
On May 22, as Premier Li landed at the Nur Khan Airbase at Chaklala, amidst a tight security shield thrown over Islamabad, he was given a reception few foreign guests enjoy. His aircraft ushered in by fighter planes acquired by Pakistan from China, Mr Li was greeted by a delegation which included President Asif Zardari, the services chiefs, caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso and a bevy of other VIPs. The Chinese head of government was also awarded the country’s highest civil award, the Nishan-e-Pakistan, during his visit. Over his two days in Pakistan, after visiting India, Premier Li met the president, the PM and incoming prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif, while also signing a number of agreements. Encouragingly for Pakistan, he offered expanded trade, taking it up from the current $12 billion mark to $15 billion over the next two years. Crucially, at a time when Pakistan faces a crippling power crisis, he also offered much needed help in the energy sector.
The visit, and its outcome is then clearly to be welcomed. Right now all support is to be appreciated. But we must also keep a grip on reality and peek behind the gilded curtain hung over Sino-Pakistan ties. The fact is that Chinese investment in the country is lower than that of the Netherlands, and lags way behind that of the US, while projects handed over to it, such as Saindak in Balochistan, have not taken off. We should not go by rhetoric alone, and along with keeping our ties with Beijing intact, we must also recognise what the true situation is, so that we can most effectively devise both economic and foreign policy and take the steps needed to build a better future for Pakistan and all its people.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 24th, 2013.
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hi, my india brother, I am sorry that you are short of some history knowledge.you didn't mention that Nebru made agressive police to china, and asked your army enter our traditonal borderline, you didnt know the fact that in 1959 our prime minister flight to india and tried his best to prevent immenient war between two, but sadly Nebru arrogantly and ruthless or stupidly refuse our prime minister final effort for peace. pls read some other history truth from other country, at that time,India had two super powers behind it : USA, And Russia. China only had friend Pakistan , China was in famine, Nebru put bet that China had two superpowered enemies , china didnt dare to fight india. unfortunately we love peaceful india people but not colonialism british-india up-classes,, Nebru forgot that in Korea war chinese army fight 16 countries army including india army alone. Nebru needed a big lesson otherwise he would lead india make bigger disaster!
Althouth we won border war, we didnt demand anything from india, only panishment! pls be fair to chinese people. stop abuse pakistan by military power, let all of us be brothers! thanks
Appreciate the reality check induced by your editorial . The naive excitement in Pakistan reminds me of similar excitement in India during Zhou En Lai , the the Prime Minister of China , visit to India in 1956 . The visiting Chinese dignitary was welcomed by cheering crowds shouting Hindi -Chini Bhai Bhai . It was also during this visit that the famous 5 principles of coexistence between India and China , "Panch sheel " was announced . 1962 China war was rude awakening for India and was a very tragic end to the career of a great Indian patriot and world statesman Nehru . I need to remind readers that Nehru had visited Chna in 1939 as a leader of the Indian Congress and had built relationship with the leadership of the Chinese Communist party at a time when both the Conress and the Communist were not in power . In 1955 it was Nehru who introduce Zhou En Lai at the Bandung Non Aligned Summit , the very first International gathering hat recognized the Communist regime in China . All I am trying to say is that Chinese are supreme realist and correctly guided by their national interest and have short memory . Pakistan need to be stay aware of this and not create unrealistic expectations from China .