IPS-ISAS Joint Conference in Kunming, China

A delegation of the Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad  participated in a conference titled “Sino-Pak Relations: Present and Future” organized by the Institute of South Asian Studies, Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences, Kunming  (ISAS Kunming) in collaboration with IPS and Institute of South Asian Studies, Sichuan University, Chengdu (ISAS Chengdu) in Kunming on April 25, 2012.

A delegation of the Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad  participated in a conference titled “Sino-Pak Relations: Present and Future” organized by the Institute of South Asian Studies, Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences, Kunming  (ISAS Kunming) in collaboration with IPS and Institute of South Asian Studies, Sichuan University, Chengdu (ISAS Chengdu) in Kunming on April 25, 2012.

The delegation was headed by Khalid Rahman, Director General and also included Irfan Shahzad, Lead Coordinator IPS. The conference was a continuation of the series of event that the three institutions hold annually, alternatively in Pakistan and China under a tripartite arrangement.

The event had a full-fledged program with 18 presentations on political, strategic, economic and social aspects of the Pak-China relations. The crux of the conference was that while bilaterally, Pakistan China relations remained very strong, deep-rooted and multidimensional, the regional and global aspects of the relationship would have to be kept in focus and emerging regional and global geo-political realities will have wide ranging implications for the two countries’ exemplary relationship.

Prof. Ren Jia, President of the host institution YASS inaugurated the conference. Prominent Chinese speakers included Prof. Wen Fuda, former director ISAS Chengdu,  Ms. Li Tao, deputy executive director ISAS Chengdu, Prof. Chen Jidong, director Pakistan Study Center, Chengdu Prof. Wang Chongli and Prof. Chen Lijun, former and current director, ISAS Kunming, respectively, Prof. Xie Daigang along with other scholars from the three collaborating institutions as well as other Chinese universities and think-tanks.

Khalid Rahman, DG IPS made a presentation on “New Silk Road initiative (NSRI)and Pak-China Relations”, highlighting that on the face of it, the NSRI seemed to entail a number of benefits for Pakistan and the region, it will have some worth pondering negative implications for the relationship between two time-tested friends by relatively weakening the linkages between them. He stressed that regional initiatives for revival of the Silk Road, led by China should be promoted and Karakoram Highway (KKH) should be made the main passage of the New Silk Road.

Irfan Shahzad made a presentation on “Pak-China Cooperation in non-Traditional Challenges” emphasizing that cooperation in areas such as climate change, energy, food and water security, as well as drug trafficking will broaden the bilateral friendship agenda.

From the next year onwards, Institute of South Asian Studies, Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences, Urumqi will also be joining in the tripartite arrangement, making it quadrilateral.