Imran Khan heaps praise on President Xi Jinping, CPC

Islamabad: Prime Minister Imran Khan has heaped praise on President Xi Jinping and the Communist Party of China as the CPC attained the ripe age of 100.

The PM acknowledged that leaders like Chinese President Xi Jinping worked their way up from the bottom. “One can only become a leader after going through a long struggle. This process is not present in Western democracies. An American President doesn’t go through this rigorous process,” he told a group of Chinese journalists here.

PM Khan said when leaders like Xi Jinping reach the top they are able to completely understand the system, a trait that is “unique to China.”

The Prime Minister congratulated the Chinese President and the Communist Party on the centenary celebrations. “In Pakistan, we admire the Chinese President for two reasons: for his fight against and for bringing people out of poverty,” he said.

During his conversation, the PM also praised the CPC for its “unique model” calling it an alternative to Western democracy. “Until now, we had been told that the best way for societies to improve was through Western democracy. The CPC has introduced an alternative model and they have beaten all Western democracies in the way they have highlighted merit in society,” he remarked.

PM Khan said that a society “only succeeds when it has systems in place for holding the ruling elite accountable and ensuring meritocracy,” adding, “Until now, the feeling was that electoral democracy is the best way to bring leaders on merit and hold them accountable.”

But, he said, “the CPC has achieved much better (outcomes) without (western) democracy. Their system for sifting through talent and bringing it up is better than the democratic system.”

PM Imran Khan also praised the “flexibility” of the system. “In our society and in Western democracies, it is difficult to bring change as you are bound by several rules and regulations, he pointed out, lamenting the fact that democracies only plan for “the next five years.”

The PM also highlighted Pakistan’s strong ties with China. “Whenever Pakistan has been in trouble, politically or internationally, China has always stood with us. The people of China have a special place in the hearts of Pakistanis,” he said, adding that relations between the two countries had only gotten stronger.

“You see a strange great power rivalry in the region. The United States is wary of China and has formed a regional alliance called the Quad. We think that it is unfair of the US and Western powers to expect countries like Pakistan to take sides. Pakistan will not downgrade its relations with China,” he maintained.

He added that the idea that India was supposed to act as a counter balance to China would be “detrimental for the former. “China is too strong. India will reap far greater benefits by engaging in trade with China rather than trying to act as a counter balance. If anyone is going to lose out, it will be India,” he added.

The PM made it clear that Pakistan’s relationship with China had nothing to do with India. “Our relationship is a bilateral relationship. It is extremely strong,” he mentioned.

He said that Pakistan was committed to strengthening relations with China whether it be politically or economically. “The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship project,” he said, adding that he will be going to Gwadar next week to oversee development work. The PM said that he was also looking forward to his trip to China which is in the offing.

Commenting on the economic relationship between the two countries, the Prime Minister said that he saw this moving forward. “The next phase of CPEC is very exciting for Pakistan. We plan to attract Chinese investment for special economic zones as our labour is cheaper,” he said.

Pakistan, he said, can learn a lot from China when it comes to agriculture. “China’s agricultural productivity is much higher, and I hope that we can benefit from the latest techniques and technology,” he explained.

He said that despite what the world may think of China due to its economic dominance, they all admired President Xi Jinping.

“The way China dealt with the Covid-19 pandemic was unique, considering that it started there. When you look at the rest of the world, China stands out. Islamabad is grateful to Beijing for the help extended during the fight against the coronavirus,” he said.

The Prime Minister said that the Chinese version on the Uighur situation was completely different from what was being reported in Western media. “Because of our extreme proximity and relationship with China, we actually accept the Chinese version,” he added.