Jiang terms Terrorism as ‘unacceptable’
Pakistan-China Institute, chaired by Senator MushahidHussainSayed, hosted an international conference “China at 75: A Journey of Progress, Transformation and Global Leadership,” celebrating 75 years of the founding of People’s Republic of China, where Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was the Chief Guest. Distinguished participants included China’s Ambassador to Pakistan, JiangZaidong; renowned economist and former Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, DrIshratHussain, and Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs. The conference was uniquely marked by international representation from South Asia, featuring MahbubAlam, Leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Party; Ahmed Thariq, Member of Parliament from the Maldives; and Achyut Prasad Mainali, Member of the Federal Parliament of Nepal.
In his introductory remarks, Senator MushahidHussainSayed, highlighted some unique aspects of China, emphasizing the nation’s peaceful rise without invasion, aggression, occupation or colonisation—reflecting the essence of China’s 5000-year-old civilization. He described Pakistan-China relations as unique as these are neither transactional nor tactical but rooted in deep strategic cooperation. Reflecting on China’s recent history, Senator Mushahid Hussain summed up China’s 75 years in what he termed were ‘3 R’s’: Revolution under Chairman Mao, Reform under Deng Xiaoping and now peaceful Rise under President Xi Jinping. Analysing reasons for China’s rise, he listed quality of leadership, continuity in policy, unique ability to make course corrections and humility in learning from others plus peaceful foreign policy.
Ambassador Jiang Zaidong, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Pakistan expressed heartfelt gratitude to Senator Ishaq Dar for his attendance, despite his 32-hour journey from Samoa, underscoring the significance attached to the event’. Ambassador Jiang celebrated the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), now joined by over 150 countries, as a testament to China’s commitment to shared prosperity. He further emphasized the pivotal influence of President Xi Jinping’s Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, which has guided China’s progress and resilience in this new era. Expressing appreciation for hosting China’s Prime Minister at the recent SCO summit, Ambassador Jiang advocated for deeper, more comprehensive cooperation among Global South nations to foster equitable development and shared progress. He outlined Chinese concerns for security of its personnel and projects in Pakistan, terming terrorist attacks as ‘unacceptable’, and urging Pakistan’s government to take ‘effective remedial measures to prevent recurrence of such terror acts and ensure that perpetrators are identified, caught and punished’.
Dr. Ishrat Husain, Economist/Former Governor, State Bank of Pakistan highlighted China’s extraordinary journey, achieving unprecedented progress through strategic shifts from a rural to an urban economy and transitioning from a command-driven to a market-oriented system.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to South-South cooperation, underscoring its importance for capacity building among developing nations in pursuit of shared objectives. Drawing inspiration from China’s development journey, she advocated for a Global South-led agenda to harness the full potential of South-South cooperation, which has yet to be fully realized due to a lingering dependency on external support in many developing countries. Dr. Baloch noted that China’s active involvement in areas like economic exchange, climate change, and diplomacy has bolstered South-South cooperation, with China emerging as a leader in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) among Global South-South Cooperation.
