China-Pakistan ties, CPEC will endure
The Election Commission of Pakistan announced Friday that the Movement for Justice Party, led by former cricket hero Imran Khan, has won most seats in the election.
Given that power transfer in other countries has sometimes led to a temporary change of attitude toward Chinese investment, some Western media have been hyping the topic of whether a similar change would take place in Pakistan. Some have made wild guesses over whether Khan would adjust Pakistan’s China policy.
All Chinese scholars interviewed by the Global Times expressed firm confidence in ChinaPakistan ties. They believe China and Pakistan’s all-weather strategic partnership of cooperation has lived up to its name, and the conditions that help foster this special relationship have not changed with the rise of Khan and his party. Supporting China-Pakistan relations remains a key pillar of Pakistan’s diplomacy.
Movement for Justice Party’s victory is a major political event in Pakistan. There had been other political oscillations in the country, but Beijing never interfered in Islamabad’s domestic politics. China-Pakistan relations always transcend political changes within Pakistan.
As for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), there have never been any political trials against it in Pakistan. A consensus has been formed that the corridor is a mega project that benefits both countries.
The CPEC has a strategic significance for both countries and will bring strong impetus to Pakistan’s economic development. The West speculating about Pakistan’s “debt issue” is not a technical analysis but political hype, a move to drive a wedge between Beijing and Islamabad.
China and Pakistan are carefully assessing relevant debt issues related to bilateral cooperation so that the debts will be kept within a controllable range. The two countries enjoy a high level of mutual trust and their coordination has been active and close.
Analysts believe Khan’s challenges come mainly from domestic sectors. The most urgent issues include domestic extremism, economic development, a population boom and a water crisis. China is Pakistan’s most reliable friend in its initiative to strive for stability and prosperity. China’s support to Pakistan is irreplaceable.
Few Western media are friendly and fair toward Pakistan. Smearing Pakistan’s reputation and China-Pakistan relations is all too natural for them. They barely said anything positive about the CPEC and this attitude will hardly change in the future.
Pakistan’s development was often disturbed by turmoil but its destiny will not always be sluggish. With the recession of extremism in South Asia, the future of CPEC is bright and it will be the new bond between Beijing and Islamabad.