An article published on October 12, 2010, by the Chinese Communist Party-controlled “Global Times” has questioned the reported description of Pakistan as a cancer by President Barack Obama. It has instead described Pakistan as a pearl and highlighted the Chinese affection for Pakistan.
2. The article says: “Because Pakistan has strong defense science and technology, China feels very safe and peaceful in its frontier regions like Xinjiang and Tibet. There will be absolutely no stability in Xinjiang and Tibet without the solid brotherhood of Pakistan. Pakistan is at the crossroads of the legendary Silk Road between China and the West. I understand that Obama has his own agendas in Afghanistan. But I believe that any military policies and actions taking place in this region must serve the interests of the national security, national unity, social stability, economic development and regional cooperation among the three countries: Pakistan, China and Afghanistan.”
3. The article has been written by Li Xiguang, a Professor at the Tsinghua University. Extracts from the article are annexed.
(Courtesy: South Asia Analysis Group.The writer, Mr B.Raman, is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai . E-mail: seventyone2@gmail.com)
ANNEXURE
(“Global Times” of October 12, 2010) Sino-Pakistani links stay solid in all weathers
By Li Xiguang
US President Barack Obama was quoted recently as telling a secret meeting in the Oval Office, “We need to make clear to people that the cancer is in Pakistan.”
But in the eyes of the Chinese people, Pakistan is a pearl. The Chinese people treasure the great friendship between the two countries.
In 1991, 20 years after the Pakistani army lost the war and Bangladesh, with Indian support, became an independent nation, I was on the road to Mohenjodaro and Kandarara with the late Pakistani archaeologist Husaan Dani reporting the great Pakistan civilization and its impact on China.
Almost another 20 years had passed when I went back to Pakistan early this year, where I felt overwhelmingly that many Pakistani people love China more than Chinese love their own country. Pakistan has proved to be China’s closest friend and the only political and military ally to stay consistent in all weathers.
China owes its opening-up to the outside world to Pakistan.
As a leader in the Islamic world, Pakistan helped connect China to the Arab countries and the rest of the Islamic world. For example, after the Urumqi riots in 2009, Pakistani government made great efforts in explaining to the rest of the Islamic world the Chinese viewpoint on the riots.
In 1971, Pakistan helped make the arrangements for Henry Kissinger’s secret visit to China and Nixon’s subsequent trip.
In 1987 when I was a journalist, I reported the visit by Abdus Salam, the father of Pakistan nuclear science. During Salam’s visit, he met Deng Xiaoping. During the meeting Deng Xiaoping expressed his full support of Salam’s idea of strengthening the scientific and technological ties among the third world countries.
Deng told Salam that scientists from the third world countries should feel self-confident and proud in serving their own countries with their scientific achievements.
I am always proud of the Pakistani scientists’ achievements. I deeply admire Pakistani scientist and engineers for their hard work and talents in developing their country’s science and technology.
Like China, Pakistan is a developing country. But its people and the government give full support to its science and technology program even though people live in poverty.
Because Pakistan has strong defense science and technology, China feels very safe and peaceful in its frontier regions like Xinjiang and Tibet. There will be absolutely no stability in Xinjiang and Tibet without the solid brotherhood of Pakistan.
Pakistan is at the crossroads of the legendary Silk Road between China and the West. I understand that Obama has his own agendas in Afghanistan.
But I believe that any military policies and actions taking place in this region must serve the interests of the national security, national unity, social stability, economic development and regional cooperation among the three countries: Pakistan, China and Afghanistan.
The author is a professor at Tsinghua University and author of the coming book Intellectual dialogues of Tibet. xiguang@tsinghua.edu.cn
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