Pak-China friendship
EDITORIAL (May 27 2010): In the fullness of time, the visit here by a high-powered Chinese defence team, over the weekend, would be recalled as the beginning of the second, upgraded phase of the Pak-China strategic relationship. No doubt today Pakistan is mired deep in multi-dimensional crises; of course, some of it are of its own making, but largely a product of continuing instability on its western border and a hostile neighbour in the east.
Its economy is on the brink, as energy shortages have crippled industrial activity and relentless terrorism tends to erode the writ of the government. But in the north is China, Pakistan's all-weather and time-tested friend, to which Pakistan looks as 'a factor of stability in the region'. And then, it is a new China, a strategic major power which is fast acquiring global economic clout and capacity.
This friend of Pakistan is ready, as always, to help this country in as many ways as required: defence, energy, trade, agriculture and communications. In February 1999, on arrival here, the then Defence Minister of China, General Chi Haotian had said: "The force of the wind tests the strength of the grass and time reveals a person's heart". This Monday, Defence Minister General Liang Guanglie was here to tell the Pakistani leadership that China is with Pakistan through its difficult times.
During the visit, the Chinese defence team signed a number of MoUs mainly focused at strengthening defence co-operation. But the two sides also exchanged their respective perspectives on the regional situation, particularly in the context of the growing menace of international terrorism and decided to share intelligence and create better equipped anti-terrorism manpower. One of the MoUs aims at enhancing Pakistan's capabilities to fight terrorism.
No wonder, Prime Minister Gilani told the guests that the government has "concrete evidence" of the involvement of Indian intelligence agencies in terrorist incidents. May be it is in this context that the personal safety and security of Chinese nationals in Pakistan was also discussed. Given that the Chinese visit was basically defence cooperation-oriented, we did not hear any direct comment on the growing cooperation between China and Pakistan in civilian nuclear power generation.
But since the President Obama-hosted nuclear summit in Washington in April, reports have surfaced that the Chinese companies would build two 650-megawatt reactors at Chashma - where one 330-megawatt reactor, supplied by China, is already in operation and the second of same capacity is expected to come on stream next year. Perhaps, China would like to help Pakistan develop its civilian nuclear potential by agreeing to sign an agreement like the one United States has with India.
Paradoxically, the volume of trade between Pakistan and China isn't commensurate with the close political and strategic relationship between them. For various reasons the progress in trade and business sectors has lagged behind and apparently it seems frozen in some old rut. President Zardari, who has paid some half a dozen visits to various Chinese industrial and commercial centres since coming to his present office, believes that the potential for growth is there for exploitation.
So he has urged the government to jack up the current level of bilateral trade to 1.5 billion dollars by 2011. This may appear to be a tall order, but given China's growing international stature, both as a political and economic power, and its enduring friendship with Pakistan this indeed is a realisable dream. More so now that the two of them enter the second phase of the strategic friendship.
Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]