A book titled 'China Leads' authored by Dr Junaid Ahmad was launched at a hotel in Karachi on Wednesday. The Karachi Council on Foreign Relations (KCFR) organised the book launch. Consul General of People's Republic of China in Karachi Yang Yundong was the chief guest.
Addressing, the consul general said the book outlined the historical change of Chinese nation and development of Chinese civilisation, comprehensively introducing the political, economic, social and diplomatic aspects since the founding of the People's Republic of China.
"It opens a bright window for readers to understand a comprehensive, real and modern China," he said. He shed light on the making of the Chinese civilisation, its rich tapestry of culture and values.
Recalling that Pakistan was the first Islamic country to recognise the People's Republic of China and formally establish diplomatic relations with the new China, Yungdong said that for more than 70 years the two countries have consistently understood and supported each other on issues of mutual interests.
He said as a strategic partner of China, Pakistan was one of the countries that responded positively to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), adding that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor was the most vivid interpretation of the bilateral relationship.
Author Dr Junaid said he had done a comparison of China with similar sized five other countries, including Russia being the world's biggest country by land, Canada being number two in land mass, China of course is number three in land mass, fourth is United States, fifth is Brazil, and sixth is India.
"I have compared them in their productive sectors, and in their social sectors, as well as in their governance," he said. "The highways in China are 169,000 kilometers, which is more than the total length of highways in United States, Canada, Russia and India. Secondly, the inland waterways system connecting rivers with each other through canals is 280,000 kilometers, which is more than the inland waterways of the whole world put together."
The author highlighted the railway network in China was also the world's second largest, the largest being in India in terms of the mileage but bullet trains in China cover 42,000 kilometres and bullet trains of Japan, Germany, France, UK, Canada, and Russia put together was less than 11,000.
He said China had over 400 international airports and that no country in the world has that many international airports. It had the coastline of only 11,400 kilometers but it had 1,300 seaports, he added.
"They talk about the Chinese economy being number two because they measure it in the American dollar, which is paper currency and printed without any backup. On a purchasing power parity basis, China is far ahead. What one dollar can buy in America versus what one dollar can buy in China."
"China's economy is almost 15% bigger than America’s."
Former diplomat Hasan Javed said he had written nine books on China but he found Dr Junaid's passion for China interesting and genuine. "There is so much to speak on China and that's why I have written nine books on the country because I feel that in all discussions in meetings of companies all over the world, in presidency, in cabinet and everywhere, the first thing that is being talked about is China portfolio. How to benefit from China's rise and engage with China. It's a global phenomenon," he remarked.
He said knowing about China was like preparing for the 21st century, and the book offered everything about China that one needed to know.
Hasan suggested that Dr Junaid's book was unique and should be taught in universities in Pakistan. He lamented that Pakistan had not been able to utilise more than 10 per cent of the potential being a neighbour of China holds.
He further highlighted that China's rise was rooted in reforms it brought in agriculture, civil services, taxation system, education and leadership. "China achieved, I say in my books, in 40 years what the West could achieve in 400 years and the latter did it by conflicts, violence, colonization, but China did it all by hard work, soft power, and bringing in reforms."
Mian Shaukat Hussain, an eminent businessman, said he had been regularly visiting China for almost half a century so he had a unique oppurtunity of seeing history in the making. "China Leads by Dr Junaid is an insightful and timely exploration of China's rise as a global superpower," he remarked, adding that the author, being a seasoned expert in international relations, offered a comprehensive analysis of China's economic, political and strategic ascendancy.
"If one has to read one book to understand China, the book is definitely China Leads. This book gives a concise history of China from the Shang dynasty to the establishment of the People's Republic of China by Chairman Mao and the Chinese Communist Party as well as developments to date," he said.
Having personally witnessed for about half a century what has been chronicled in the book, Hussain said he was amazed at the accuracy and breadth of Dr Junaid's writing and understanding of China.
Prof Dr Athar Ahmed, an expert in international marketing and Dean of Greenwich University, said Dr Junaid was a bank of knowledge. He said though he had not read the complete book, he found its chapter so interesting and full of facts.
Nadira Panjwani, chairperson of the KCFR, said that Dr Junaid Ahmad's book was an interesting read as it covered vast aspects of China ranging from its political structure, economic qualities, to its various leaders, as well as its cultural evolution and global influence.