Changing World and Future of Pak- China Relations

Continuing the collaboration and interaction between IPS and Chinese Association for International Understanding (CAFIU) and for reviewing the cooperation between the two organizations spanning over a decade, a 6-member delegation of CAFIU, 

Continuing the collaboration and interaction between IPS and Chinese Association for International Understanding (CAFIU) and for reviewing the cooperation between the two organizations spanning over a decade, a 6-member delegation of CAFIU, headed by Excellency Ai Ping, Vice Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held meeting with IPS members on February 22, 2011.

The two sides shared views on expanding the cooperation in multiple areas of mutual interest.

At the occasion, Excellency Ai Ping also delivered his keynote remarks at a roundtable meeting with foreign policy experts, scholars, and researchers. The roundtable titled ‘Changing World and Future of Pak-China Relations’ was chaired by Barrister Sadia Abbasi.

Mr. Ai Ping said that in the face of changing international, regional and domestic situation, Pakistan and China needed to maintain close exchanges between the leadership of the two countries, enhance cooperation in the international arena, carry on regular consultation and coordination on major issues of their respective concerns in order to safeguard common interests of both sides.

He suggested that both the nations should lay special emphasis on the exchanges of politicians and the younger generation of the two countries.

Taking part in the discussion Amb (R) Tariq Fatemi said that in the new phase of Afghanistan, the role of Pakistan and China in the country would decide the fate of this region. “Afghanistan can become soil for our mutual cooperation,” he added.

Masood Daher, an expert on economy and economic relations, stressed the need to develop economic and communication linkages between the provinces of the two countries. Mr. Daher also emphasized upon the need to overcome language barrier between the two peoples.

Barrister Sadia Abbasi said that interactions on various levels should continue and an effort should be made to explore new avenues for cooperation and collaboration.

Summing up the session, Chairman IPS Prof. Khurshid Ahmad said that media and education sectors should play their role to accommodate this bilateral relationship in their discourse.
He suggested to introduce three additional visa categories namely, visit visa, student visa and health visa to consolidate this relationship.