The relations with China has witnessed a tremendous warmth in the recent years especially when the present government took over. The President and the Prime Minister have time and again reiterated the Pakistan’s voice of everlasting friendship with China and they pursued a consistent policy to further expand the ties and shape them in a way to be more visible at the international front. During the last visit of the Prime Minister Gilani to Beijing, the Chinese leadership received him with open hands and they assured that Pakistan would not be left alone at the international arena. The time was hard in view of the May 2 incident, but the Chinese proved themselves as real friends by speaking for respect to the sovereignty of Pakistan and that too was conveyed to the US through a formal channel.
During that visit of the Premier the Chinese leadership also voiced their commitment to continue the assistance to Pakistan for peaceful nuclear programme to meet its energy demands. Although it was not in clear term, but the message was conveyed that China wanted transparency in the nuclear assistance programme and would pursue a just and all encompassing policy at international level in this regard. The agreement reached between Pakistan for launching Chashma-4 project is the reflection of China’s commitment.
At a most recent move at international level, China is learnt to have questioned India’s membership proposal before the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) on grounds that an exception should not be made for just one country as was pursued in the meeting by certain other countries for India. In a clear attempt to build case for Pakistan to be considered equally for membership in NSG, China told the 46-member grouping that all potential candidates must be considered for this purpose and no discrimination should be made. The details quoted by the Indian Express on Sunday said that in the meeting on June 23-24 the NSG at Noordwijk in the Netherlands, there was fair amount of concern expressed by many members over the considering of India’s membership given that it is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The condition is one of the basic to become a full fledged member of the NSG. Some of the countries even urged the US and other countries like France and UK, which were backing India’s case, to re-examine and revisit their decision in the light of the impact this may have on the non-proliferation regime at the international level.
It may be noted that besides India, Pakistan and Israel are the only remaining two nuclear capable countries that have not signed the NPT. The Chinese emphasis during the meeting clearly was aimed at benefiting Pakistan. It is quite interesting that Chinese standing would on the other way end up complicating the case for India for becoming member of the NSG. It has also been learnt that US was emphatically embarked upon the agenda to pilot India’s membership case to the four selective categories export control regime including the NSG which has the most strict controls. The commitment of US was reinforced during the visit of President Obama to India.
The move by China has once again proved that it would not leave alone Pakistan at international level not even during worst times. Here it would not be out of way to mention that the rigorous efforts by the Pakistan’s leadership to build the existing relations between the two counties on new lines has been a welcome move and it needs to reinforced with continued engagements at all levels . The need of the hour is to take a lesson form the progress made by our great friend in various fields as the Chinese leadership is ready to provide technical know-how to their Pakistani friends instead of just providing aid. The opportunity must be availed with full zeal.
