Pakistan, China have shared destiny: PM Shehbaz Sharif

BEIJING: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said Pakistan will work with China to promote a shared destiny of achievements and progress, and foster peace and harmony in the region and the world at large.

The premier travelled to China for the first time in 1981 and has since witnessed the tremendous transformation of the country through his many visits. “You could hardly see a car on the road, (only) buses and bicycles in 1981,” he remarked in an interview with Xinhua, commenting on his two-day official visit to China from November 1-2.

He was among the first foreign leaders to visit China after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). “And over the years the entire country has transformed and became the second largest economy in the world. This is a miracle of its kind.”

“I think it is because of dedication, visionary leadership of the Communist Party of China, its leaders, its vision and sacrifice,” he said. The 20th CPC National Congress conveyed a very powerful message across the world that China stands by continuity and stability and peaceful co-existence, the prime minister said.

Highlighting China’s success in eradicating absolute poverty, providing better job opportunities, and improving education and healthcare, PM Shehbaz said Xi Jinping’s re-election as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee is important not only to the Chinese people, but also the friendly countries and even globally.

“Today under President Xi’s leadership, China is a country without which the world cannot move on. This is a great sense of achievement,” he said, explaining that Pakistan is trying to learn from China.

Shehbaz Sharif said he has no doubt that China will further grow and progress by leaps and bounds, and the Pakistan-China friendly relations will deepen and strengthen. Pakistan and China have enjoyed an “unprecedented and unique” friendship, or Iron Brotherhood, over the seven decades since the establishment of diplomatic ties. The two countries have promoted relations on the basis of mutual trust, respect and cooperation, he said. PM Shehbaz commended the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a game changer in transforming Pakistan’s power, energy, infrastructure and public transport sector.

“I must tell you with a sense of satisfaction that these CPEC energy projects were completed and made operational faster than Chinese regard. This is what we call Pakistan Speed,” said the prime minister, referring to the “Shenzhen Speed” in China.

“That’s what this brotherhood, cooperation and friendship is about,” the premier said, hoping CPEC will go to the next phase to promote agriculture, modern technology and IT industry. Meanwhile, in an interview to China Global Television (CGTN) during his recent two-day official visit to China, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif describing Pakistan and China as “iron brothers” and enjoying “unbreachable” friendship, stated that his meetings with Chinese leadership remained most productive and useful.

“We are iron brothers because this friendship is unbreachable. Nobody can damage this friendship. Nobody can find any space in this friendship no matter what. We will remain friends. We have been friends and we are there forever,” Shehbaz Sharif said. Besides China-Pakistan relations as well as China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the prime minister during the interview also talked about the regional and international situation.

To a question, PM Shehbaz Sharif said he was returning to Pakistan “hugely strengthened and encouraged” by massive support from the Chinese leadership to work jointly for the good of two peoples, promote CPEC and B2B (Business to Business) investment in Pakistan and also jointly deal with the issues which relate to international considerations.

The prime minister said it was a matter of great privilege and honour for him to visit China at the invitation of Chinese leadership and being the first foreign leader after the 20th National Congress of Chinese Communist Party (CPC). “It is a great manifestation of our iron brotherhood. It speaks volumes of our friendship, mutual trust and mutual understanding. We deeply appreciate this gesture of the Chinese leadership,” he added.

The prime minister said during his visit he had back-to-back meetings, most importantly the meetings with President Xi and Premier Li, which were “most friendly, productive, frank and useful”. He said that China and Pakistan agreed to enhance their consultative process to discuss the geopolitical situation, and to discuss how to bring progress and prosperity not only in Pakistan but in the region.

To another question, the prime minister said that China had always been a very prosperous and rich country, adding, “but the foreign entities who came here, made it a colony and looted and plundered its resources.” He added that China, bestowed upon by God Almighty with ample resources and energy, had not shown, in anybody’s remotest imagination, any germs of expansionism.

“To the contrary, China’s philosophy or President Xi’s philosophy is about globalization, is about interaction, is about prosperity and progress,” the Prime Minister maintained. He said that the policy of those who believed in containment [of China] were sadly mistaken, adding, however, “they will never be able to contain China.” The prime minister said that China is a power and the world cannot operate without China. “China believes in peaceful means. So Chinese military’s progress is not for aggression, it is for its defence and rightly so,” he added. “Keeping in view the past history, China cannot afford to remain weak in this area, therefore China is within its right to be militarily strong. Yet be very cautious and careful as not to give even the slightest of impression that this power is for aggression,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, UN Resident Coordinator in Pakistan Julien Harneis called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. During the meeting, various areas of work and cooperation between Pakistan and the UN were discussed, including Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, flood relief and food security. The prime minster underscored that Pakistan had been contributing actively to the UN”s work, especially in peacekeeping, climate change and humanitarian action.