Foreign secretary visited China to seek greater cooperation.
As ties between Washington and Islamabad reach one of their lowest points in over a decade, Pakistan’s top diplomat went to Beijing to shore up cooperation and support from one of the country’s oldest and strongest allies.
Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir is visited China for discussions with the Chinese leadership on bilateral, regional and international issues last April 28 and 29, as announced by Foreign Ministry spokesperson.
“The foreign secretary held consultations with Chinese Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun,” said Tehmina Janjua in a statement issued in Islamabad at the time. The visit can be viewed in the context of the established Pakistan-China strategic dialogue mechanism between the two foreign ministries.
But official sources confirmed that the foreign secretary’s visit to China was prompted by the recent rise in tensions between Pakistan and the United States due to a series of events, including the Raymond Davis affair and US a drone strike that killed dozens of civilians in Pakistan’s tribal districts.
“Under these circumstances, the foreign secretary’s visit to China has assumed greater significance,” said one foreign office official who wished to remain anonymous. “We have excellent relations with China but the time has come to take the ties to the next level where we should have less reliance on the Americans.”
Bashir’s visit to Beijing comes days after he dashed to Washington in an effort to overcome differences that have the potential to unravel ties between Pakistan and the United States and consequently impeding progress in Afghanistan.
Sources say Salman Bashir is strong advocate of seeking realignments, and has presented a detailed analysis to the government regarding a reduction in dependence on the US by reaching out to the Chinese.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 28th, 2011.
{Note:-The US media tried to minimize the importance China gives to Pakistan as a strategic ally, and down played the importance of the visit. Militaries of both China and Pakistan work in close cooperation and China has been the most trusted neighbour of Pakistan. Unlike India, which has back-stabbed Pakistan, helped destroy its unity with its eastern wing, and detests the very existence of Pakistan as a nation. Although, India’s own survival as a nation is in jeopardy due to the brave battles of the Bodoland, Khalistan, and Tamil guerillas.}
