Sino-Pakistani ties endure despite challenges posed by aid, Islamism
Date : 2013-2-21 By : Global Times
 |
China and Pakistan have established a diplomatic relationship for more than 60 years, and the river of their friendship has run a long course. However, there are increasingly doubts toward the friendship between China and Pakistan.
In 2010, the US provided Pakistan $690 million aid after the devastating floods in Pakistan, 28 percent of all the aid it received, while China's contribution was less. Western media made an issue of this, and criticized that China should take more responsibilities.
In 2011, The Economist published an article questioned the China-Pakistan friendship under the headline, "Pakistan and China: Sweet as Can Be?"
Also when China Overseas Holdings Limited took over operations of the Gwadar Port, Indian media said the takeover would face many challenges from within Pakistan.
So, is the relationship between China and Pakistan really as sweet as can be? The book A Model of State-to-State Relations: Retrospects and Prospects of the China-Pakistan Ties since 1951, edited by Du Youkang, a professor of the Center for Pakistan Studies at Fudan University, believes that the relationship between the two countries is at a new starting point with broad prospects for future development.
Du analyzes the two countries' mutual links to each other. Geopolitically, Pakistan is China's closest friend in South Asia. Diplomatically, China constantly supports Pakistan's efforts to promote regional peace and stability and combat terrorism. Pakistan has also always supported the one-China policy.
The relationship between China and Pakistan has been tested by many incidents, such as the sanctions on China imposed by Western countries in the 1980s and the sanctions on Pakistan by the US in 1990s.
Du also gives detailed analyses of the great strategic meaning of the relationship between the two countries.
China is the second largest global economy, while Pakistan is one of the cradles of the Islamic Revival Movement and the only Muslim country with nuclear weapons.
On the regional and international level, cooperation between China and Pakistan is no longer a mere bilateral relationship, it also exerts influence on the economy, politics and security of the whole region.
China and Pakistan view each other as "all-weather strategic partner." After efforts by many generations of leaders, exchanges at all levels between the two are all developing rapidly.
The international situation is in a transitional period, and South Asian dynamics are undergoing many deep structural changes.
However, the relationship between China and Pakistan is established on the foundation of deep-rooted public opinion. Although there are some factors that may influence bilateral relations, for instance, the development of political relations lagging behind economic exchanges and Indian factors, there are no major differences or irreconcilable conflicts between the two.
China-Pakistan relationship will remain a model for countries with different social systems to communicate and interact with each other in the future.
Source: http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/763314.shtml