China is most trustworthy friend: Pakistan

China Economic Net

Islamabad: China has time and again proved it is the most trustworthy friend of Pakistan, a top foreign ministry official said.

Speaking to Gwadar Pro on Friday evening, Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri – who is the Additional Foreign Secretary Asia Pacific and the spokesperson of the foreign ministry – said China remains the top priority in Pakistan’s foreign policy list.

“China has helped us whenever we needed and supported us at international forums. This is the reason why everyone in the country is celebrating 70 years of our diplomatic relations,” he said.

The senior diplomat said scores of events have been held and more are expected in the coming weeks to mark the 70 years of friendship.

“China is a country we can bank upon. Even in the Covid-19 pandemic, they helped us like brothers,” he reminded.

Chaudhri said as part of the ongoing celebrations to commemorate the 70th anniversary of establishment of Pakistan-China diplomatic relations, Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood and Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong this week planted a Friendship Tree, at the Chinese Embassy Compound in Islamabad.

Chaudhri supervises three divisions – China Division with Muhammad Muddassar Tipu as its Director General, East Asia and Pacific (EAP) Division with DG Samina Mehtab and South Asia Division.

The senior diplomat said the plantation of the evergreen Deodar Tree – which is also the national tree of Pakistan – depicted the spirit of Pakistan-China “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership”.

Pakistan and China have agreed to hold over 100 events to celebrate the 70 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Wang Wenbin had said through initial communications the two sides had agreed to organize the events in a wide range of areas including the political, economic, trade, cultural and military sectors.

The spokesperson said the people from all walks of life in both countries, especially the young generation, will be welcomed to take an active part to enrich the celebrations. The diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on May 21, 1951.

The traditional friendship between Pakistan and China is not only embodied in mutual support and cooperation between the two governments, but also in people-to-people bonds.

For decades, Pakistan and China have placed considerable importance on the maintenance of an extremely close and supportive special relationship.

The two countries have regularly exchanged high-level visits resulting in a variety of agreements. China has provided economic, military, and technical assistance to Pakistan, and each country considers the other a close strategic ally.

Bilateral relations have evolved from an initial Chinese policy of neutrality to a partnership with a smaller but militarily powerful Pakistan.

China has become Pakistan’s largest supplier of arms and its third-largest trading partner. Maintaining close relations with China is a central part of Pakistan’s foreign policy.

Chinese cooperation with Pakistan has reached economic high points, with substantial Chinese investment in Pakistani infrastructural expansion including the Pakistani deep-water port at Gwadar. Both countries have an ongoing free trade agreement.

Pakistan has served as China’s main bridge to the Islamic world, and also played an important role in bridging the communication gap between China and the West by facilitating US President Richard Nixon’s historic 1972 visit to China.

Last month, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the recent gift of Covid-19 vaccines by China was a practical proof of friendship between the two countries. “China once again demonstrated its everlasting friendship with Pakistan by helping it in times of need. We are real iron brothers,” he said.

Qureshi said that the vaccines’ donation was even more important as “we are completing seven decades of diplomatic ties.”