ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani on Monday termed the Pakistan-China relationship as a bulwark against hegemonism in the region since there had been attempts at regime change and to impose India as the regional policeman by the United States.
While speaking as the Chief Guest at the launching ceremony of Chinese Language Classes and a publication on “CPEC: Facts versus Fiction” in Islamabad, Rabbani said Pakistan China relations were a demonstration of the “Asian Dream”.
The launching ceremony was organized by the Pakistan-China Institute (PCI) – a local think tank devoted to relations with China and the region – in collaboration with the JS Group. The function was largely attended with a standing room only capacity of nearly 250 people.
The Chairman Senate welcomed the launch of the Chinese Language Classes to facilitate business ties between Pakistan and China.
The Chinese ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing said Pakistan China relations were achieving new heights and China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was the manifestation of this bond in the present era.
Yao Jing said China had always stood by Pakistan just as Pakistan stood by China, terming it “all weather” friendship between “Iron Brothers”.
In his remarks on the occasion, the Founder of PCI Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said there had been deliberate attempts to create misconceptions about CPEC, in which India and its Western patrons were playing a prominent part. He said the reason for this was geo-political since there was an attempt to build up India as a counterweight to China with baseless propaganda about the “China Threat”.
Mushahid Hussain said Pakistan welcomed the peaceful rise and development of China which was a source of strength for Pakistan.
Responding to a question about CPEC, he said when CPEC was launched in 2013, Pakistan was perceived to be isolated, terror stricken and a ‘failing state’. He said China helped counter this false narrative by its massive investment of $50 billion plus on CPEC which gave a boost to the Pakistan people and it was a vote of confidence in the future of Pakistan and an investment in the future prosperity of Pakistan and its people.
Senator Mushahid Hussain said CPEC was already producing results as Pakistan’s international image had changed, Pakistan had become a pivotal player in the region, Pakistan had registered the highest growth rate in 10 years, projects like Gwadar port and Thar coal had not only been revived but were thriving and the Western Route was being built on schedule.
The Senator said CPEC was translating into reality what the father of the nation, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had correctly predicted 70 years ago in an interview with an American publication that “Pakistan would be the pivot of the world placed on the frontier where the future geo-politics of the world will revolve”.
The Chairman JS Group Chairman Jahangir Siddiqui was also present while the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) JS Global Capital Ltd Kamran Nasir also spoke and said they planned to organize conferences in Pakistan and China where they would provide a platform for Chinese and Pakistani companies to mix and mingle and to promote Chinese language classes in Karachi as well.
