From Chairman Mao to Hu Jintao!
By Makhdoom Babar
Editor-in-Chief

ITS been 55 years that Pakistan and China established diplomatic relations and both the countries have celebrated year 2006 with immense pride and pleasure to mark the 55th anniversary of exemplary relations and unmatchable friendship.
Islamic Republic of Pakistan was perhaps the first country in the world to recognize People’s Republic of China after China emerged on the globe as a promising and progressing state under the visionary leadership of Chairman Mao. Since then, ties between Pakistan and China are constantly on the rise. If there had been a tremendous understanding and cooperation at the government levels between China and Pakistan then the peoples of both the countries remained locked in a bond of unique friendship and love. It is said that the real force behind Pak-China relations is the peoples of the two countries, a fact, unique and unmatchable.
Pakistan-China bilateral relations are recognized as all-weather, evergreen and time tested friendship by the global community as these ties are based on unique, friendship-oriented bilateral policies. The depth and strength of the relations between Islamabad and Beijing can be gauged from the fact that despite constantly changing global scenarios where there had been great shifts in the diplomatic policies of almost all the countries of region and globe, nothing could make any impact of exemplary Pak-China ties.
China that established bilateral relations with Pakistan under Chairman Mao’s leadership, soon emerged as an amazing strategic and trade partner as well as spectacular neighbour of Pakistan. Today, with Hu Jintao at Beijing and Pervez Musharraf at Islamabad, both China and Pakistan are engaged in a variety of joint ventures in different fields. Pakistan is making a great progress in strengthening both its economy and defence with comprehensive help and assistance of China. Pakistan and China are maintaining similar stances and enjoy shared perceptions on all the regional and global issues. Beijing and Islamabad have a joint pledge of combating terrorism, extremism and separatism. Both countries signed a historic and landmark "Treaty of Friendship" last year when Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited Pakistan.
Today Chinese President Mr. Hu Jintao is starting his 3-day state visit to Pakistan. Global diplomatic community as well international political observers and economists are attaching a great importance to Hu's Pakistan visit. Islamabad and Beijing are scheduled to sign over 30 agreements and MoUs for development in different fields and for promotion of economic and defence cooperation etc. Pakistani leadership is also looking forward to this landmark visit with a great eagerness and is expecting spectacular outcomes of this visit. Tremendous arrangements have been made to welcome the Chinese President and a very fancy schedule has been chalked out for the engagements of the worthy guest.
However, there is a little difference out there in the style of achieving the set goals between Pakistan and China. It remains a fact that Chinese are a perfectly or one can say over practical nation while Pakistanis are always overwhelmed by everything. The Daily Mail would here like to refresh the memory of the Pakistani leadership by reminding that Chinese leadership has the policy of Talk Less and Do More whereas our leaders have always been talking more and doing less. It is really a great tragedy that our leaders, over the past 55 years have just been talking and could not achieve even the 25 percent out of the overall potential of Pakistan-China ties. It also remains a fact that Islamabad, during the past 55 years miserably failed to explore and achieve the true potential of its relations with China. Pakistani bureaucracy and leadership, both failed to capture a reasonable market for Pakistani products in China. The tragic side of the picture could be imagined from the fact that only a year back, Pakistan thought of signing agreements with China for the export of Pakistani Mangoes, Oranges and rice whereas the same should have been done at least three decades back. Similarly, it took years and years to move the file of the highly significant JF-17 Thunder aircraft project, a joint Pak-China venture that is now going with a great pace and success only after President Musharraf took the initiative. Again; something that should have been completed at least a decade back.
The Daily Mail believes that if Pakistani leadership is really sincere in getting benefits out of Chinese cooperation and the agreements, signed with China are to be utilized effectively and timely, then it must follow the practical approach of Chinese leadership and should shift to the policy of Talk Less and Do More. We believe that it is about time that Pakistani leadership should come out of the politics and diplomacy of fancy slogans and should try to be more practical. It should strongly pursue the goals set with regard to Chinese cooperation and must get practical benefits out of Pakistan China relations to the maximum of their potential. Islamabad needs to analyze that what it achieved and what it could have, from Chairman Mao's era to Hu Jintao's, because, this could be the last opportunity.