Across Mountains and Seas, Building a Shared Future
Tang Meng sheng
Professor of Peking University, China. Director of the Center for Pakistan Studies, Peking University Seventy-five years of sharing weal and woe, seventy-five years of friendship as strong as steel.
In 2026, as China and Pakistan mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the peoples of both countries are immersed in the joy of friendship and cooperation. Since the two countries formally established diplomatic ties on May 21, 1951, this friendship, spanning the Himalayas and crossing the Arabian Sea, has remained rock-solid and ever-renewed amid changes in the international landscape. Together, we have traversed an extraordinary journey of three-quarters of a century, witnessing the construction of the Karakoram Highway and the transformation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor from vision to reality; we have seen prompt action in disaster relief operations time and again, and firm mutual support in international affairs. Described as a relationship “higher than the mountains, deeper than the oceans, sweeter than honey, and stronger than steel”, this bilateral bond has gone far beyond ordinary state-to-state relations and stands as a model of enduring friendship, stable cooperation and mutual benefit between countries with different civilizations and social systems.
Unshakable Political Mutual Trust: Steering Steady, Long-Term Growth of Bilateral Ties
High-level exchanges and strategic guidance between China and Pakistan are the “fixed star” ensuring the steady growth of bilateral relations. Over 75 years, leaders of the two countries have maintained frequent exchanges like close relatives, steering the course of bilateral relations. From foundational visits in the early days of diplomatic ties to frequent high-level meetings in the new century, every handshake and dialogue has injected new contemporary connotations into bilateral friendship and elevated political mutual trust to new heights. This top-level direct communication ensures that the two countries accurately understand each other’s core concerns and strategic intentions amid complex international dynamics, and make decisions most conducive to the long-term development of bilateral relations.
Strategic guidance of high-level China-Pakistan interactions is not only evident in face-to-face exchanges but is also deepened and strengthened through a series of institutionalized arrangements. China and Pakistan have established dialogue and cooperation mechanisms covering diplomacy, economy and trade, defense, security and other fields, functioning like precise gears to ensure the giant ship of cooperation operates efficiently and steadily. From regular strategic dialogues to practical consultations of specialized committees, these mechanisms form the institutional backbone of bilateral relations, ensuring that cooperation remains on the set track without fluctuation due to transient events. In particular, the annual meeting mechanism between the two Foreign Ministers has become the most important platform for blueprinting future cooperation and coordinating major positions in a timely manner.
The vitality of mechanisms lies in implementation. Consensus reached at each high-level meeting is quickly translated into concrete action plans by various departments. From the grand vision in joint statements to specific projects in memorandums of understanding and on-the-ground outcomes, an effective closed loop has been formed between top-level design and implementation. This ensures that strategic mutual trust is not confined to political declarations, but rooted in practical win-win cooperation, allowing the two peoples to truly feel the tangible benefits of high-level exchanges. This model of interaction, guided by head-of-state diplomacy, underpinned by institutional development, and focused on practical cooperation, is a distinctive hallmark of the high maturity and stability of China-Pakistan political relations.
A crucial measure of the depth and reliability of state-to-state relations is unreserved and firm support on issues concerning each other’s core interests and major concerns. Over 75 years, China and Pakistan have set an exemplary standard through concrete actions. This support is not empty rhetoric, but deep political understanding and resolute deeds.
For China, the Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair, bearing on China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and constitutes the core of China’s core interests. On this fundamental issue, successive Pakistani governments have upheld a just stance, consistently and unequivocally adhered to the one-China policy, and clearly recognized that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. Pakistan has repeatedly reaffirmed this position on bilateral occasions and spoken out actively on multilateral international platforms, opposing all forms of separatist attempts for “Taiwan independence” and external interference. Similarly, on issues concerning China’s sovereignty and legitimate interests related to Xinjiang, Xizang and Hong Kong, Pakistan has always understood and supported the Chinese government’s just measures to safeguard national security, social stability and ethnic unity, and opposed any country’s interference in China’s internal affairs under the pretext of human rights. Such unwavering support on major principles has deeply impressed the Chinese people with the true meaning of an “iron-clad” friend.
As a Chinese saying goes, “You throw a peach to me, I give you a white jade for friendship.” The Chinese people value friendship and reciprocity, and have always firmly supported Pakistan’s efforts to safeguard national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. China understands and respects Pakistan’s legitimate position on the Kashmir issue and advocates a proper and peaceful settlement in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, relevant Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements. When Pakistan faces threats from terrorism and extremist forces, China is among the first to extend a helping hand and provide security cooperation and support. This kind of backing and support during times of greatest need has elevated the political trust between the two countries beyond standard strategic coordination, forging a profound sense of shared future and deep camaraderie. Such mutual support on core interests constitutes the most solid and unshakable foundation of the China-Pakistan All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership.
Close coordination between China and Pakistan on the international stage is an important pillar of their All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership. Facing increasingly complex global challenges, the two countries have maintained close strategic communication and coordination within the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and other multilateral frameworks. On major issues concerning global peace and security, as well as directional discussions on the international development agenda, China and Pakistan always share extensive common ground and uphold consistent positions. Such coordination is not merely identical voting, but based on shared commitment to the basic norms of international relations and deep concern for the common interests of developing countries.
—To be Continue
