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| Road to China |
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Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Sticking to tradition, President Asif Ali Zardari has chosen China for his first, full-fledged visit overseas as head of state. But the trip is far more significant than a customary 'good will' visit to a friendly country. Pakistan is urgently seeking assistance to help it tide over a crippling financial crisis. While news from Washington, where the prime minister's adviser on finance is meeting IMF and World Bank leaders, that a bail-out is in the offing, means a cautious sigh of relief has been heaved in Islamabad, Pakistan will still be seeking Chinese support to guide its ship to safer shores. While agreements on trade and commerce are expected to be signed, it is believed an immediate loan on soft terms may also be sought. The high-powered delegation accompanying the president, including the ministers for foreign affairs, defence, finance and the environment, indicates key issues are to come up for discussion.
There is also speculation that Pakistan may seek a nuclear deal with China, to offset the US-India agreement. Pakistan, like India, faces an energy crisis, to which enhanced nuclear technology offers an answer. But there is as yet no confirmation that this will be on the agenda. What is known is that Pakistan is seeking Chinese assistance in improving its security know-how. The adviser on interior has indeed gone to China ahead of the president, to discuss the purchase of equipment and the security situation as a whole. These are to include scanners, arms for security officials and other materials that can assist the country in dealing with terror. China of course, at this particular time, has a key interest in the issue given that two of its citizens are in Taliban custody after being taken hostage.
For Pakistan of course, ties with China are important. The alliance with the Asian giant over the decades brought it many benefits. Agreements on buying equipment and so on from Beijing can also help offset dependence on the US, as well as negative perceptions in the country regarding relations with this super-power. It is of course unwise to bank on just one friend, especially an ally as unreliable as Washington has on past occasions proved to be for many nations that aligned with it. Today, China is also eager to develop a closer relationship with India, its neighbour to the east. Together, the two nations form a potentially powerful duo, housing a huge chunk of the world's population and making rapid advances in the field of technology. Rather than feeling threatened by this new development, Pakistan needs to create a situation in which it can too fit into the alliance. Realistically, it is of course irrational to demand Beijing choose between New Delhi and Islamabad, as some hawks have suggested. Indeed, with the elected government having already indicated it is eager to build closer ties with India, and with over five decades of friendship with China to build on, Pakistan is ideally stationed to work with both these nations. Indeed, a growing system of cooperation between all three nations could benefit the people of Pakistan immensely. The opportunity then must not be missed and every effort made to ensure Pakistan, as an Asian nation, can form a part of the new order many analysts believe is set to evolve in the continent as India and China move closer.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
