Possibilities for China and Pakistan
MODERNIZATION is a lucid and dynamic concept and I believe that we must revisit it time and again. It has often been understood as a process of replacing the old with the new. If we look closely, nature itself works as a modernization agent. It teaches us that modernization is not about rejection or detachment with the past, rather it is about growth and renewal. Trees shed their leaves to grow afresh. Snakes cast off their old skins to begin anew. Human beings, through every stage of life, evolve in wisdom and adaptability.
In this sense, modernization is a process of continuity, not rupture. It carries forward the essence of life while refining it through experience and innovation. The same applies to societies and nations. Every civilization modernizes in its own way, drawing upon its heritage, cultural memory and inherited wisdom, while responding to the demands of changing times. The ideologies, philosophies and literature are not created in a vacuum; they are built upon the foundations of accumulated human experience.
However, in recent centuries, especially since the Industrial Revolution, the term modernization began to take on a new, and perhaps narrower, meaning. It came to imply a complete break from the past; a radical shift toward material progress often equated with Westernization. This model of modernization, rooted in industrial capitalism and individualism, sought to universalize a particular path as the only viable one. But as the world grows; more interconnected and multipolar, alternative paths of modernization have emerged that embrace diversity rather than uniformity, balance rather than domination. China’s model of modernization stands as a unique example of this inclusive and culturally rooted approach. It is a modernization that values harmony, collective well-being and stability, while also embracing science, technology and innovation. It does not discard tradition but transforms it into a living, guiding force.
Pakistan, as China’s long-standing and trusted partner, finds resonance with this vision. Our partnership, anchored in mutual respect, shared development and people-centred progress, illustrates how cooperation can become the true engine of modernization. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, is not merely a network of roads and infrastructure. It is a pathway toward shared prosperity, cultural understanding and equitable participation in global governance. Together, China and Pakistan can envision a world where modernization is not imposed from outside but grows organically from within. A world where development does not mean uniformity and progress is not measured through economic growth only. A world where diversity is acknowledged through unity and progress means the well-being, dignity and empowerment of people.
Several concrete steps can deepen and globalize this partnership in the sphere of governance and modernization. To explore all these opportunities and possibilities, we must enhance institutional collaboration between think tanks, universities, literary and cultural organizations and policy institutes of both countries. Pakistan Academy of Letters, as the premier institution of federal government, working for the promotion of Pakistani languages and literature, is keen to join hands with our Chinese counterparts to further our collaboration in the sphere of literature and culture. We have already signed two memoranda of understanding with the Chinese organizations to collaborate in this field and our joint projects of translations of each other’s literature are progressing well. We are looking forward to enhance this cooperation by sending and receiving delegations of writers and poets to strengthen people-to-people contacts.
Modernization through partnership is not a slogan; it is a lived philosophy. It invites us to evolve without erasing our history, to progress without forgetting our heritage and to build the future without cutting the roots of our past. It does not lie in abandoning who we are, but in becoming the best version of ourselves together. It is a return to the natural rhythm of life. In the wider arena of global governance, our shared approach can offer hope, that progress can be cooperative rather than competitive, inclusive rather than imposed and human-centred rather than profit-driven. Pakistan and China together can bring about a new social order, where peace and co-existence define the new social climate.
—The author is a fiction-writer, poet and researcher, currently working as the Chairperson of the Pakistan Academy of Letters.
