China-Pakistan’s unbreakable bond
A new chapter in the unbreakable bond between China and Pakistan has been written as the Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang visited Pakistan on 5-6 May 2023. Beyond just diplomatic niceties, the visit encompassed a vast array of discussions, including the co-chairing of the Fourth Round of China-Pakistan Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue, cementing the two countries’ commitment to peace and development as ‘Iron brothers, trusted friends and enduring partners’.
During the Fourth Round of China-Pakistan Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue, the two nations emphasized the importance of strengthening their mutual relations, as they are ‘All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partners’. Both sides agreed to continue extending support for issues that are of core interest for both nations, including the economic, political, strategic and security realms. This comprehensive dialogue helped further solidify the longstanding friendship between China and Pakistan.
The visit of Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang to Pakistan was also marked by the Fifth China-Pakistan-Afghanistan Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue. This trilateral dialogue, which took place on May 6th, saw the three sides vow to strengthen cooperation in a variety of sectors, including political, economic, strategic and cultural domains. The meeting aimed to initiate a discourse on how to effectively tackle the blooming terrorist sanctuaries in the region.
This dialogue came at a crucial time as it followed the very important meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) which discussed the issue of terrorism and regional peace and security. The Chinese resolute for regional peace and security was clearly evident during this important meeting, which was the third important meeting on Afghanistan that the State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang attended in less than one month. In April, FM Qin Gang chaired the second informal meeting on Afghanistan between the Foreign Ministers of China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran, and attended the Fourth Foreign Ministers’ Meeting among the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan in Samarkand. The Chinese Government is committed to working with other nations in the region to promote peace and security in Afghanistan and the surrounding region.
The recent meetings between Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang and leaders from Pakistan and Afghanistan are a part of China’s larger effort to promote global security and development. These efforts stem from the Global Security Initiative (GSI) launched by President Xi Jinping, which calls for a new approach to addressing the challenges of security with a win-win mindset. Unlike the conventional approach of the US-led War on Terror, the GSI emphasizes solidarity among countries and an empathetic understanding of the changing international landscape and geo-politics.
As a part of its GDI, China is committed to achieving common goals of peace, justice, cooperation and development through initiatives that support less developed nations and ensure equitable development that is beneficial for countries across the globe. GDI provides a theoretical global focus on such initiatives, while China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) expands the development agenda from East Asia and Europe to Africa, Oceania and Latin America.
The success of these initiatives is due to China’s soft power approach which prioritizes development and economic connectivity rather than meddling in and policing other states’ internal affairs. This approach has been consistent and perseverant since the late 1970s, defining China’s vision to emerge as a global power.
The recent meetings between Chinese and Pakistani leaders aimed to strengthen mutual relations by extending support for issues of core interest in the economic, political, strategic and security realms. The trilateral dialogue with Afghanistan was focused on strengthening cooperation in multiple sectors, including political, economic, strategic and cultural domains, and initiating a discourse on how to effectively tackle terrorist sanctuaries in the region.
China’s recent diplomatic efforts in Afghanistan are a clear indication of its commitment to global security and development, and this is evident from the three important meetings that State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang attended in less than a month. The Chinese approach to Afghanistan is inclusive and far-reaching, and it is driven by their empathetic understanding of the global affairs, as well as their solidarity with the region. While the West has limited its engagement in Afghanistan to humanitarian assistance and coercive measures, China believes in diplomacy, dialogue and cooperation.
China’s engagement with Afghanistan is not just about building inclusive government within the country, but also about building friendly relations with neighbouring countries and fighting terrorism. The recent breakthrough between Saudi Arabia and Iran with Chinese mediation has also boosted China’s confidence and amplified its aspirations to play a bigger role in global geopolitics. China’s policy on Afghanistan is a textbook interpretation of its Global Solidarity Initiative and it believes that supporting the interim Afghan government with efforts of reconstruction and development is essential for building peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan.
China’s approach to Afghanistan is strikingly different from that of historical global powers like British, USSR and the US, that have tried to solve the Afghan issue with regime change. In contrast, China believes in diplomacy, dialogue and cooperation, and its recent trilateral dialogue with Pakistan and Afghanistan signifies the level of importance China is according to a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan. The fact that the Afghan interim FM received a special travel ban exemption from UNSC to attend the trilateral dialogue, and FM Qin Gang undertook his maiden visit to Pakistan, where they do not have any full-time Ambassador, demonstrates China’s commitment to the region.
China’s engagement with Afghanistan and its efforts towards global security and development are critical at a time when the world is facing multiple challenges, including terrorism and regional peace and security. With the US sending its Senate-confirmed top diplomat to Pakistan last year after the lapse of four years, a full-time Chinese Ambassador accredited to Pakistan can invigorate the former’s ambition for regional peace and security. The Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue has the potential to build consensus, consolidate mutual trust and jointly contribute to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region, and only time can tell about its success.
—The writer is a Pakistani Climate Youth Leader, UN SDGs Advocate and an expert on Youth Development in the Global South.
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