Traversing any turmoil is made all the more arduous, sans the presence of a helping hand. And since we, as a nation, have been profoundly reliant on external assistance for just about anything every man and his dog can put a finger upon, affixing ourselves to a foreign power has become our national ethos. Hence, an ally that has a brawny stature around the globe and can influence matters pertaining to economy, trade and security is of paramount significance. However what makes the helping hand a necessity, in our neck of the woods, is the paranoia that we attach with every maneuver from the eastern vicinity. And if the aforementioned global powerhouse has a geo-strategically picture perfect site on the map to boot, an unyielding bond becomes indispensable – China fits the bill seamlessly.
SINO-PAK FRIENDSHIP
With China, unlike most other nations, we get the nearest thing to a symbiosis – economic or otherwise – that we can conjure up on the international stage. Both nations tout themselves as “all weather partners” and the need for companionship is felt in both countries simultaneously – justifiably so. While the Indian presence, historically, has been a cause of apprehension for both the countries, the burgeoning US influence in the region is one that alarms China in particular. And hence having Islamabad on their back is pivotal for Beijing.
During the entire Osama Bin Laden soap opera, China defended the Pakistani government though the U.S continued to haul over coals, and blamed our hierarchy – left, right and center – for the exacerbated situation of terrorism. Standing firm in the support of its ally, in what in all honesty was a prodigiously tricky scenario – it was a major statement of support from Beijing.
After Pakistan enunciated its desire to have a seat on the UN Security Council at the 66th General Assembly session in September, the bid was backed by China extrovertly. Since China visualises Pakistan’s importance in the maintenance of global peace and security, it did not withdraw any decibels in echoing Pakistan’s voice.
CHINESE ASSISTANCE
China’s help in the construction of Gwadar Port has been well documented, and while it aids Chinese aspiration of opening up an energy and trade corridor from the Gulf, it goes without saying, that the potential boost to our economy is massive. China has also helped us in building our principal nuclear power generation facility at Chashma, another 330 MW unit has commenced last month as well, and a couple more projects are in the pipeline at the same opulent spot. China National Nuclear Corp has said that it was also in talks over the construction of another 1-gigawatt atomic plant in Pakistan. China is also the key supplier of conventional arms and has also supported our nuclear weapons programme in the past – also providing us with military gear that includes fighter jets and frigates. Amidst the nuclear proliferation and safety clamour, this, undoubtedly, is a strapping move from Beijing.
Chinese aid for flood relief purposes was another feather in the cap of Sino-Pak friendship. China has donated $4.7 million, with another $5 million promised by Liu Jian – Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, in addition to the $18 million donated last year. China has also supplied 7,000 tents for the flood victims, another laudable contribution in easing out the pain of the multitude of people that suffer.
SANGUINITY IN TRADE
Last year’s bilateral trade numbers depict a trade volume worth $8.7 billion, which substantiated a 27.7 per cent rise from the statistics in 2009. However the trade flow is still skewed in favour of China, with the Chinese exporting good worth $6.9 billion to Pakistan and Chinese imports were valued at $1.7 billion – 25.5 per cent and 37.2 per cent rise from 2009, respectively. Nevertheless there is a buoyant optimism on our side of the border that these numbers would amplify precipitously in the near future, with bilateral trade numbers as far as $15 billion being prognosticated. To further bolster the trade correlation between the two countries, China has frequently assisted a lot of our major projects. Two of the most momentous project are; Gwadar Port in Baluchistan – lucrative sea route and the Karakoram Highway – linking western China with the northern parts of Pakistan, and if upgraded would provide a channel for energy imports in China from various other markets.
BOLSTERING ECONOMY
Even though the two nations signed a free trade agreement and five-year development programme on trade and economic cooperation in 2006, followed by the approval of the economic proposals of 36 projects worth more than $13 billion last year, the bilateral trade still doesn’t post up groundbreaking numbers. The Sino-Pak bilateral trade volume of $8.7 billion last year doesn’t come out on par, when compared with most other countries. Sino-US trade volume posts gargantuan numbers – with a towering $380 billion last year. Sino-India trade in 2010 amounted to $61.7 billion and the number escalated further, crossing $35 billion mark in the first half of the current year – a 16 per cent rise from the same time in 2010. Even China-Vietnam the bilateral trade volume was worth more than $10 billion in 2010! Considering our ties with China, and the universally flaunted companionship, the diminutive trade numbers – under situational juxtaposition – are absolutely unfathomable. If we are to bring to fruition the forecasted tally of $15 billion bilateral trade volume annually, and benefit from our intimate political relationship in tangible returns we have to streamline our approach.
Instead of merely focusing on enhancing the trade volume, we should look to ameliorate our industrial base. China can lend a hand in this cause by producing goods for export in Pakistan and employing local labour force. This would indeed be un-sailed waters, as far as approaches towards enhancing bilateral economic ties are concerned. However a customary encumbrance is the security threat and the cultural differences. Chinese companies haven’t expanded their bases, from tip to toe, in terms of their presence in the Pakistani market, and a reassessment on the part of our Chinese counterparts would not only bump up their market exposure, but also fortify our industrial foundation.
EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE
Another tool that has not been appositely utilised is the educational exchange programmes, especially at the university level. By allowing the cream of both the nations to blend, and acquire the positives from each other’s repertoire would have been rewarding for both the sides. Dr Muhammad Akram Sheikh, former deputy chairman of the Planning Commission of Pakistan raised this point at the China-Pakistan Cooperation Conference on Monday in Beijing.
He was of the opinion that a joint think tank between Tsinghua University of China and the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) of Pakistan should be established, hence setting off the hobnobbing amongst the top two universities of the respective countries.
“Sino-Pakistani cooperation must be underpinned by a focus on knowledge, economics and technology-driven development. That’s why cooperation between Tsinghua and NUST is of paramount importance.”
His thoughts were staunchly backed by Mr Muhammad Asghar, President NUST, who agreed upon “leveraging education to deepen the Pakistan-China strategic partnership”, and futher stated;
“We have to look east, to reorient our academic approach. Tsinghua and NUST can form a platform to carry on related studies.”
READRESSING SECURITY CONCERNS
China has vehemently asked Pakistan to take notice of Uighur militants and undertake a robust action against them. The Uighur militants originate from the western Chinese region of Xinjiang, but have penetrated inside the Pakistani territory, doling out their menacing intent. On 5th July 2009, the Uighur antagonism boiled over and violence broke out between the Uighurs – essentially Muslims – and the Han Chinese in Xinjiang, resulting in 197 casualties. A lot of them were Han inhabitants who were executed in stonehearted assaults on the part of the Uighur militants. Pakistan categorically condemned the riots, receiving acknowledgement from China.
Another ghastly issue marring the Sino-Pakistan bond is the safety concerns regarding the wellbeing of the Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. Numerous Chinese workers have succumbed to militant attacks in the recent past hence resulting in the plunge of the number of employees from China willing to toil here. Most of them aren’t willing to risk their lives and rightly so.
Therefore, the security factor has got to be given paramount importance to perk up our ties and ensure that we get the assistance of the Chinese expertise in enhancing our economical dynamics. Especially, considering the fact that our particular area has unfortunately become a hub of terrorism, we need to counter this disparaging hazard to move ourselves – in all facades of national prosperity – forward.
COUNTERING DRUG TRAFFICKING
Cross-border smuggling of drugs has been a cause of uneasiness for both the neighbouring countries. Chairman Standing Committee on Interior Senator Talha Mehmood recently expounded the increasing trend of smuggling that has rung alarm bells in both the countries. Talha Mehmood made our intentions clear by announcing that paramilitary forces like the Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would be deployed to curb this practice.
He also asserted that there was an underhanded involvement of “some foreign agencies” in Gilgit-Baltistan and hence the reinforcement of the law and order situation via strengthening law enforcing agencies is the need of the hour. The scheme is spot on; let’s hope so is the implementation.
CHINESE ROLE A PROPO AFGHANISTAN
Before the ink dried on the India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership, signed earlier this month, the repercussions were unambiguous for Pakistan. As Indian hegemony looms and the possibility of Pakistan being sandwiched in between Indian influenced areas hangs over, it is China’s discernable yearn for Afghanistan’s natural resources that give the picture an intriguing shade.
China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC), recently attained the rights to explore oil fields in Amu Darya Basin – with a potential of 80 million barrels of crude oil – and China has also grabbed a massive tender for the Aynak copper deposit. Pakistan, could look for another collaboration with China on the front, for which would not only shore up our economical side of things, but also foster our chances of increasing our influence in Pakistan. China’s development and exploration activities will not only have commercial upshots, but it will also increase China’s in the Afghan political scene. This, hence, gives us a tailor-made opportunity of nipping the Indian menace in the bud and also enhancing ourselves as a geo-strategically influential and economically potent nation.
EPILOGUE
Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani recently described Pak-China friendship as “higher than mountains, deeper than oceans, stronger than steel and sweeter than honey.” And while that may be over-the-top poetic lingo, one perceives the raison d’etre behind the couplet.
While the sceptics continue to downplay China’s contributions, citing Chinese lack of intent in 1965 and 1971, what is indubitable is the fact that this moment – right here, right now – is the most significant chapter of the Sino-Pak tale. The U.S animosity has grown – following the Osama bin Laden debacle and the Haqqani Network blame games – and so has the Indian command over sub-continental matters. Hence Pakistan-China camaraderie is pivotal for us in this rickety epoch. And, since we aid China’s superiority in the region as well and have an imperative role in China’s global expansion of clot; it’s not as if we are clinging on to a wild-goose chase.
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