CPEC – a blessing and multipurpose umbrella for both Pakistan and China

By Chaudhry Muhammad Latif
Knowing the implications of friendship of China and Pakistan, the western powers including the USA had launched extensive publicity and propaganda against China on religious basis in fifties. Their purpose was to create distance between Pakistan and China, two neighboring countries, whose friendship had the potential to change their fate and future.
Pakistan recognized China on January 4, 1950, and established diplomatic relations with her in 1951. In his tenure as Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Mr. Zulifqar Ali Bhutto made admirable and formidable contribution to bring China and Pakistan closer. As a consequence, the great leader of China, Mr. Zhou Enlie, as Prime Minister, visited Pakistan in 1964. In December, the same year, Pakistan’s President General Muhammad Ayub Khan, embarked upon his visit to China. Mr. Z.A.Bhutto steered the mutual friendship on the basis of two friendly nations and not just two countries. He mostly wore a close neck coat which became very popular in Pakistan as a token of love and respect for Chinese leadership.
In this bond of deep friendship, Zhou Enlie’s visit to Pakistan stands as the most critical and important event which paved the way for further strengthening the relations. The Jet which was presented to Chinese Prime Minister, Zhou Enlie in 1964, stands with dignity in Chinse museum. The arch enemies of Pakistan were shocked when the cooperation between two countries was developed to these heights like CPEC.
The cooperation between China and Pakistan ranges from economic to military levels. China has proved most reliable friend and has helped Pakistan at every difficult juncture, like 1965 war with India, in the East Pakistan tragedy 1971, at the time of nuclear explosion on May 28, 1998, in the calamity of earthquake 2005, in Corona epidemic 2019 they treated Pakistan as a part of China, and most recently in the financial crises threatening default.
In July 2013, the Chinese celebrated leader, the President of China Mr. Xi Jin Ping, launched the vision of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the outcome of the said vision. The BRI and CPEC have completed a decade in 2023. It remained ideal global cooperation platform and strategic vision of China for global development. It is interesting to note that BRI has extended its activities in our brother Muslim countries of Malaysia up to Malaka Strait and Indonesia. CPEC is most important for Pakistan and China as our friends and foes are generally common.
The courageous initiative of CPEC was undertaken by great and popular leader of Pakistan, as Prime Minster of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, and Chinese President Mr. Xi Jin Ping in the year 2013. The objective was to shift the focus of cooperation from geo politics to geo economics. The BRI which aimed to revive the ancient Silk Road, is the central piece of Chinese foreign policy. CPEC is the principal component of BRI, intended to connect Pakistan’s Gawadar port city to China’s Xin Jiong region through a network of roads, railways, and pipelines. To sum up Sino-Pakistan relation ship which essentially emanates from the national interest of both countries, attributed as “Community of Common Destiny”.
Friends are tested and tied in calamities. Pakistan remained unilaterally fast friend of the USA since its inception. It joined defense pacts with them and thereby earned displeasure of Russia and faced the negative vetoes on Kashmir issue. Unlike, the USA created a perception of a false friend because a friend in need is a friend indeed. In 1965 war, instead of helping Pakistan being its ally, they stopped the supply of PL-480 wheat. In 1971 tragedy, the then ambassador of USA, Mr. Farland issued a policy statement at crucial stage that East Pakistan would not and should not be a part of Pakistan, and also the 7th Fleet never reached Dacca. Pakistan was again penalized for atomic explosion in May 1998. Despite havoc of floods in Pakistan, the IMF imposed preconditions unjustified by a lender to a sovereign country. The IMF, no doubt, follow the policy of USA.
In Afghan Jihad against Russia, the Taliban forces and volunteers from Pakistan were martyred together and Pakistan also hosted millions of refugees from Afghanistan. The result proved that the war was for the USA which became single super power. The USA supplied war equipment including stinger missiles. But the brunt and backlog had to be faced by Pakistan.
It was shocking for Pakistan when USA suddenly decided to destroy the Taliban Afghanistan who had made sacrifices for the USA. Pakistan was forced to participate in the USA war in Afghanistan. As a result Pakistan lost his sincere friends in shape of Afghan Taliban and it provided a platform for our enemies to sponsor terrorism in Pakistan. The USA, despite our countless sacrifices during the war in Afghanistan, was always demanded to do more due to trust deficit.
In this background the recent shift in our foreign policy to reconcile with Russia is justified to safeguard our national interest. At this juncture visit of Ukraine dignitary seems ans attempt to sabotage the national policy towards Russia. Pakistan has been subjected to discrimination in economic relations with Iran. India is allowed to trade with Iran but Pakistan is tabooed.
The writer is Retired Additional Chief Secretary of AJK and Advocate of Supreme Court of AJK.
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