China, Pakistan to develop SCO as symbol of peace

BEIJING: China and Pakistan will work together to develop Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), as a driving force to promote peace and stability in South Asia, it was officially stated here on Wednesday.

Under the SCO framework, Beijing and Islamabad have conducted smooth coordination and will spare no effort in forging the organization into a platform for the maintenance of stability. The SCO will be made as a symbol of peace and stability in South Asia.

We hope India and other countries can view China-Pakistani cooperation with objectivity and make concerted efforts for common development, official said while commenting on Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif’s visit to Beijing in connection with the forthcoming SCO’s summit.

The Minister met Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers in Beijing this week.

The two countries vowed to enhance bilateral cooperation and work for regional peace and stability through the SCO. The council is the first top ministerial-level meeting of the SCO after the admission of Pakistan and India as members last year, and Sino-Pakistani collaboration on the SCO platform has attracted attention.

Some believe that Beijing-Islamabad cooperation is a strategic choice in the interests of the two countries. There are also people who hold the view that the Sino-Pakistani partnership may threaten India's development. According to the officials, the Sino-Pakistani all-weather strategic cooperative partnership is an example of a new type of international relations.

This cooperation has transcended the level of self-interest and is playing a vital role in maintaining regional stability. For instance, China's Belt and Road initiative, apart from aiding regional connectivity, has boosted Pakistan's economic growth and provided the country with unprecedented impetus for development. This has created a new pilot model for regional cooperation and will exert tremendously positive effects on South Asia's societal and economic development.