Seminar organized by Pakistan Council on China
On November 21, 2013
on
“China’s Neighborhood Policy under the New Leadership”
“China will promote cooperation with its neighbors in a mutually beneficial way”. China’s Ambassador Sun Weidong gave a detailed account of the recently convened 3rd Plenary Session of 18th Communist Party of China Central Committee, as well as of a Conference on the Diplomatic Work with Neighboring Countries held in October. The two conferences are due to generate great positive impact on China’s development, foreign policy and China-Pakistan relations.
He was a keynote speaker at the inaugural seminar and launch of Pakistan Council on China (PCC), a newly established think-tank focusing on China with an aim to promoting Pak-China relations. Ambassador Sun said that over the past 35 years since the adoption of Reform and Opening-up Policy, China has made significant achievements. In 2012, China’s GDP is around 8.6 trillion US Dollars, ranking No.2 in the world, and amounting to 11.5% of the global GDP. China’s per capita income reached 5680 US$.
He further said that, China also encounters some development difficulties and puzzles, such as unbalanced development, enlarging gap between rich and poor, unreasonable industrial structure, deteriorating ecological environment, corruption, civilian’s dissatisfaction on education, employment, medical care and housing issues. According to Ambassador Sun, China’s reform has entered crucial phase and the members of the CPC Central Committee unanimously passed decision concerning Some Major Issues in Comprehensively Deepening Reform”. This important decision covers 15 reform areas, 55 major tasks, more than 300 major measures. The Decision demanded that decisive results are achieved in important areas and crucial segments by the year 2020, to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects when the Communist Party of China celebrates its centenary, make China a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious, and realizing “the Chinese Dream” of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Neighboring countries are optimistic about the prospects of China’s comprehensively deepening reform and see opportunities for common regional development and economic integration. China will promote cooperation with its neighbors in a mutually-beneficial way. Only through better cooperation, can neighboring countries benefit from China’s development and China benefit from theirs, he said.
Mr. Inam ul Haque, former foreign minister and President of the PCC highlighted the importance of Pak-China relations for both the countries and emphasized on further strengthening bilateral relations besides elaborating aims and objectives of the PCC. The other speakers of the Seminar, Mr. Fazal-ur-Rahman, Executive , PCC, Dr. Muhammad Khan, HoD IR Department of NDU, Mr. Hamayoun Khan, Director PCC, presented their insightful views on China’s neighbourhood policy, China’s security and defence cooperation with neighboring countries and the importance of enhancing people to people contacts, respectively. The Seminar was attended by members of Islamabad based think-tanks, academicians, diplomats and a large number of students from different universities.
