Pak, China jointly defend territorial integrity, says Chinese envoy

LAHORE: Chinese Consulate acting Consul General in Lahore Cao Ke has said that China and Pakistan, as all-weather strategic cooperative partners, key members of the Global South and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, are glued together to safeguard international system with the United Nations at its core and safeguard the international order based on international law.

Both the nations are committed to jointly defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity, he added. Cao Ke was addressing a seminar held to celebrate 80th year of China’s victory over Japan and Taiwan’s restoration in WWII.

The seminar was organised by International Institute of International Relations and Medi Research and was chaired by President Yasir Habib Khan.

Key speakers of the seminar included former Foreign Secretary and Ambassador to UN Shamshad Ahmad Khan, Vice Air Chief Pakistan Air Force Sajid Habib, former Navy vice admiral NA Rizvi, Punjab University Pakistan Study Centre Director Prof Dr Amjad Abbas Magsi, PU History and Pak Studies dept Chairperson Prof Dr Ruksana Iftikhar and Educationist Dr Iftikhar ul Haq, Muhammad Mehdi and others.

Majority of the speakers termed strengthening of Pak-China ties as well as the success of CPEC project the most significant aspect related to the region.

The gathering was held to remember the brave struggle of Chinese soldiers and celebrate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s war of resistance against Japanese aggression, the world anti-fascist war, and the restoration of Taiwan.

Speaking on the occasion, the Acting Council General said that Chinese people fought valiantly against Japanese militarism in WWII, sacrificing more than 35 million civilians and military personnel to fracture the Axis strategy, causing 70 percent of Japan’s total WWII casualties. ‘China’s resistance, the first to ignite and last to extinguish, fundamentally reshaped WWII’s trajectory,’ he added.

He went on to say that the Chinese people won the great victory of this devastating war and restored Taiwan from the illegal occupation of Japan and it marked the declaration of the complete victory of the World Anti-Fascist War.

‘The restoration of Taiwan, which is a landmark triumph of World War II and constitutes an integral part of the post-war international order.

Taiwan’s status as part of Chinese territory has never changed and will never be allowed to change.’ he said.

Cao Ke remarked the Communist Party of China played a pivotal role in the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. President Xi Jinping pointed out that the

CPC fought bravely on the front lines of this War, sustaining the Chinese nation’s hope of survival and becoming the mainstay of the entire nation’s struggle, he said.

Pakistan has also recently celebrated victory of Marka-e-Haq showing its military and diplomatic mettle inflicting defeat to India in the month of May.

In his address on the occasion, former foreign secretary Shamshad Ahmed Khan said that contributions and sacrifices of China, one of the world’s major powers, in World War II were far greater than those of countries that exploited the war’s outcomes and used them to serve their own interests, mostly Western allies.