China had no desire to play a leadership role in the region or in the world affairs as it has no hegemonic designs. These views were shared by the Chinese scholars, who are on a visit to Pakistan, with their fellow scholars at Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) here on Thursday.
The delegation, comprising scholars from Gansu and Xinjiang Association for International Friendly Contact (GAIFC and XAIFC), Liu Guangjun and Li Mingbao of GAIFC, Gao Ming and Shi Boyin of XAIFC, in exchange of views with IPRI scholars, affirmed that China would fulfill its responsibilities in the region and the world, but without desiring a leadership role for itself.
They were asked about China’s role in the tripartite alliance with Afghanistan and Pakistan that had recently emerged and in relation to Beijing’s growing ties with India, particularly when the US was reportedly bolstering India against China.
The Chinese scholars wanted to know about Pakistan’s position on the question of Iran’s nuclear programme. They were told that Pakistan believed it was for peaceful uses of nuclear energy among which a major project was a cancer hospital in Tehran that required 75kg of uranium. If the West agreed to provide that material, Iran would readily abandon its enrichment activities. To a question about the situation in Syria, the Chinese scholars were told that Kofi Anan mission was reportedly a success and the Syrian president had agreed to the suggestions put forward by Anan. About the prospects of peace in Afghanistan, it was explained that the US withdrawal would be partial as it might retain a smaller force there for its strategic objectives in Central Asia.
