Strategic relations: Stable Pakistan in China’s best interest

Former ambassador launches book on China’s role as Pakistan’s mainstay.

ISLAMABAD: The strategic and economic interests of China and Pakistan are intertwined and for that very reason China is the only world power which is genuinely interested in the stability and progress of Pakistan and is rightly regarded as its ‘mainstay.’

China is the only world power genuinely interested in the integrity of Pakistan, said speakers in their speeches and comments at the book launch of veteran Pakistani diplomat ambassador (retd) Mohammed Yunus.

The book — Awakened China Shakes the World and is Now Pakistan’s Mainstay — the latest publication of IPS Press which is the publishing arm of the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), was launched at IPS on Wednesday. The ceremony was chaired by former ambassador M Akram Zaki whereas Yao Wen, Charge de Affairs and deputy ambassador of the Chinese embassy was the chief guest.

“The relationship between the two countries has become a model of state-to-state affairs for many countries,” said Wen, adding “we are in the best phase of our relationship.” Terming the strength of the ‘friendship’ as strong as iron, he further said China has always regarded Pakistan as a hardcore friend.

In his speech, Wen said the Pak-China Economic Corridor (PCEC) contained immense potential for the people of both countries as well as the region. Just one of the first projects of the PCEC, the Shandong Ruyi Textile Park in Faisalabad, will create thousands of jobs, he said.

The author, Mohammed Yunus, who is regarded as one of the pioneers of the ideal relationship between China and Pakistan, was of the view that despite the ill intentions many regional and global powers were not able to support the insurgency in Balochistan because China was there to check their moves. “The sponsors know China would not allow Balochistan to be separated from Pakistan because of its own interests.”

Yunus said that the integrity of Pakistan was in the best interest of China itself and it will never allow any international conspiracy to destabilise Pakistan.

The book is a record of personal events coloured by life-long memories of Yunus’ experiences. Its first part is an insightful and fascinating personal account of the author’s diplomatic assignments in China during the historic and eventful period of 1953 to 1982.

The author witnessed and took active part in laying the foundations and building the historic relationship between China and Pakistan. The autobiography contains valuable revelations and original information and provides an insight into many historic events with regard to Pak-China relations. “Part of my time spent in China was most rewarding as I went under the picture presented by the western media claiming that it was a closed society,” he said.

An intriguing analysis of the rise and fall of the banking genius, Agha Hasan Abedi, and his empire, the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI), forms a major and interesting chunk of the second part of the autobiography, which Yunus had personally observed as an insider being a senior adviser of the bank.

The former envoy’s scholarly endeavours as a professor and author are a must read, too, for students of political science, communism and its two manifestations in the forms of Marxism and Maoism, said the speakers.

In his speech, Zaki emphasised that Pakistan should reorganise its rural sector like China has and that’s the way of bringing prosperity in the country.

IPS DG Khalid Rahman, former civil servant Riyazul Haq and former senator Saadia Abbasi also spoke at the event.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28^th, 2014.