A postcard from Islamabad brought back many fond memories of my first trip to Pakistan. It was mid-February, said to be the best season in Pakistan, with evening breeze immersed in the scent of spring and the Karakoram mountains glistening in the sunshine. But what is most unforgettable is the broad and bright smile of our Pakistani brothers and sisters, who proudly portray their friendship with the Chinese as “higher than the Himalayas, deeper than the ocean and sweeter than honey”. On our part, we Chinese intimately illustrate this rock-firm partnership with the special term “Iron Pak”. Indeed, China-Pakistan relations rise above changing times and stand to the test of international vicissitudes.
I still remember our Pakistani friends who greeted us beaming at the exciting news of a major discovery of iron ore reserves in Chiniot, Punjab, which the Prime Minster hailed as treasure that will go a long way in bringing prosperity to the country and end its “begging bowl” culture. To add to the significance of this great discovery, it was actually a Chinese company, China Metallurgical Group, that helped locate the deposit. You couldn’t have expected any better greetings. Of course, China-Pakistan cooperation is much more than that.
China and Pakistan are blood brothers with a long-standing friendship. What binds the two countries together is not just the same mountains and rivers, but shared values and moral principles. Over the years, China and Pakistan have rendered each other mutual respect, mutual understanding and mutual support. When the People’s Republic of China was founded, Pakistan was among the first to recognize New China. Back in the 1960s, Pakistani International Airlines (PIA), with a resounding statement, “PIA, First to China”, opened an air corridor linking China with the outside world. When it comes to helping Pakistan build the Karakoram Highway, China didn’t flinch, not even for one moment, even though the country itself was battling against a fragile economy. Tens of thousands of Chinese engineers and workers were sent to Pakistan, blazing paths in insurmountable mountains and laying bridges over dangerous rapids. Many of them made the ultimate sacrifice with 88 Chinese workers laid to rest on Pakistani soil.
China and Pakistan are true friends sharing weal and woe. Be it issues concerning each other’s core interests or crucial moments with sovereignty and independence at stake, be it support for economic and social development or assistance in the wake of natural disasters, China and Pakistan have always stood side by side, come rain or shine. When China’s Sichuan was hit by a devastating earthquake in 2008, Pakistan came to China’s immediate aid with a generous assistance of over 22,000 tents, its entire strategic reserve. When the worst floods in history swept across Pakistan in late July 2010, China responded with prompt assistance in cash and kind as well as a 55-strong rescue team devoted to curing the sick and saving lives. Stories like these speak to the nature of this all-weather friendship and form the building blocks of a China-Pakistan community of shared destiny.
China and Pakistan are close partners seeking win-win cooperation. Given the strong complementarities of the two economies and the vast space for industrialization and market expansion in both countries, it is only natural for the two countries to strengthen cooperation for mutual benefit. The flagship project of such cooperation, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, covers a wide range of sectors, from energy and transport to infrastructure and industrial cooperation, and makes an integral part of the grand strategy of the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. The implementation of these projects, which is designed to benefit the people, will open up a world of opportunities for the two countries and beyond, and generate new momentum for China-Pakistan partnership to scale new highs.
Today, China-Pakistan friendship, like this early spring season, is brimming with fresh vigor and vitality. As the two countries work to build a community of shared destiny, this strategic partnership will only grow stronger, deeper and deliver more benefits for their people and for all the people. And I couldn’t think of any better conclusion than the greeting on the postcard, “Chin-Pak Dosti Zindabad”. Long live China-Pakistan friendship!
The author is Beijing-based international affairs observer