Guangzhou China
China has achieved all-round development at a scale that is a source of strength and solace for its friends and grudge for its rivals and enemies. For many countries, China is a model of growth with stability and the most striking aspect of this model is that it takes care of socio-economic needs of the entire homeland.
Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong, located at the south-central part of the province, is the living example of how China marched on the road to progress and modernization without compromising its proud culture and civilization. I am here in the beautiful city to attend the Spring Festival and was mesmerized to witness its monumental development, which is also a model of town planning.
What I have seen in Guangzhou reminded me of the widely-quoted remarks of then Prime Minister of Pakistan Z.A. Bhutto (who is rightly considered to be the architect of Pakistan’s China policy), which he made on the occasion of commissioning of a permanent TV Centre in Lahore in December 1972. Elaborating his vision of Pakistan, ZAB said “We will build our monuments to our contemporary civilization. Institutions of learning, factories and dams, atomic reactors and television centers — these will be our Taj Mahals of the 20th century.”
After witnessing the monumental growth and development in China and policies and approaches of its great leader President Xi Jinping, one can say without fear of contradiction that friends and partners of China can help realize their dreams of progress and prosperity as Beijing believes in ‘shared prosperity’. These are not mere assumptions as President Xi told his audience at the Road and Belt Forum last year that his country would “make relentless efforts to achieve modernization for all countries” and work to build a “shared future for mankind.” China is trying to reshape the international system, which it sees as unfair, and has full support of the countries across the developing world who want a system where they have more say.
A more than 13,000-word policy document released by Beijing in September 2023 outlined China’s vision for global governance and identified what it sees as the source of current global challenges: “Some countries’ hegemonic, abusive, and aggressive actions against others … are causing great harm” and putting global security and development at risk, it reads. Under Xi’s “global community of shared future,” the document says, economic development and stability are prioritized as countries treat each other as equals to work together for “common prosperity.” This clarity of thinking, vision and genuine respect for others is the reason behind growing acceptability of the Chinese vision among most of the countries of the globe. As the West is viewing the world in the context of ‘Clash of Civilizations’, President Xi, while launching China’s Global Civilization Initiative (early 2023) asserted that different civilizations had their own perceptions of shared human values implying that countries should not impose their own values or models on others.
Analysts point out that China has built its international influence around its economic clout, using its own rapid transformation from a deeply impoverished country to the world’s second largest economy as a model it could share with the developing world.
The launch of the historic ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ is the undeniable proof of China’s commitment and sincerity to its policy of shared progress and prosperity. The strategic vision of the Chinese President is proving a game changer as it came in the backdrop of exploitative practices adopted by some influential powers and multilateral institutions influenced by them, which offered loans and assistance to countries with political strings attached. Under the BRI, China is making colossal infrastructure investments, which are going to usher in a new era of trade and growth in five continents. Launched in 2013 by President Xi Jinping, the vast collection of development and investment initiatives was originally devised to link East Asia and Europe through physical infrastructure. In the decade since, the project has expanded to Africa, Oceania, and Latin America, significantly broadening China’s economic and political influence.
Pakistan is proud to be a partner of China in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flag-ship project of the BRI, which is now cited as the most shining example of the success of the strategy of the Chinese President. Creation of modern infrastructure under Chinese assistance is helping Pakistan accelerate its march on the road to progress and development. After successful implementation of the first phase, the two countries have agreed to launch the second phase of intensified cooperation under the framework of the CPEC. The work on CPEC projects could not maintain its tempo during the last five years for obvious reasons but it is hoped that things would take a new turn with the formation of a new Government in Pakistan after general elections.
I am convinced that most of the economic woes of Pakistan would be addressed effectively after implementation of all aspects of the CPEC and therefore, the country needs to focus more on broadening its scope and that too without loss of further time.
It is because of China’s established reputation as a sincere and genuine friend that our newspaper Pakistan Observer has always been pleading for closer cooperation and partnership with China. Our newspaper not only highlighted this cause through news coverage, analyses and articles but has also been hosting conferences, seminars and discussion programmes to crystallize public opinion on different aspects of bilateral relations. The founding Editor-in-Chief of the daily late Zahid Malik, (SI, HI) instantly formed a think-tank ‘101 Friends of China’ (it is a matter of honour for me to be its Vice President) to rebut propaganda against CPEC and also conspiracies against K2 and K3 nuclear power plants. Our efforts bore fruits paving the way for ultimate implementation of the two plants, which are now contributing significantly to the national grid.
Interaction with local and foreign journalists as well as opinion-makers from different walks of life strengthened the widely-held belief that China is a unique development success story, providing valuable lessons for other countries seeking to emulate this success. China is on a firm path to become the world’s most advanced economic and military power in years to come under the development vision of President Xi Jinping and the developing world can surely benefit by forging partnership with the great country.
