70 years of Pak China Friendship 21 May, a rare message of a Pakistani at Peking Radio 1951

 

70 years of Pak China Friendship 21 May,

A rare message of a Pakistani at Peking Radio 1951

Chinese travellers had visited areas, land & people  much before creation of Pakistan, mentioned many places but till todate we have only colonial time translations of that resource. We certainly need new translations along with new research about old times. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faxian#:~:text=Faxian%20(337%20CE%20%E2%80%93%20c.,Foguo%20Ji%20%E4%BD%9B%E5%9C%8B%E8%A8%98).

During the times of Lhore Darbar (1799-1849) we read many things regarding trade between Tibat & Punjab and during Kangra campaign Maharaja himself mentioned it too. Through water & trade we are linked with China since ancient times. right after the death of Maharaja, (27 June 1839) colonizers started opium wars, first in 1839-42 & second in 1856-60. It is a known fact that the prime factor of European entry in our lands was lucrative trade routes. They want either to control or destroy it. If you read colonial literature regarding Chinese & yellow race, it was either mysterious or blur or dark in many ways. But rise of Germany in Europe & rise of Japan in Asia had changed many priorities of the British Empire in late 19th century. During WW1, British had fixed Germany but could not damage Japan. Many leaders & intellectuals in 20th century knew China through Bertrand Russel book The problem of China published in 1922. Till 1930s many South Asian intellectuals  started rethinking about China, thanks to resistance struggle of Chinese against occupant Japan. it was a time when Iqbal  too praise rise of Chinese

ہمالہ کے چشمے ابلنے لگے

گراں خواب چینی سنبھلنے لگے

With this background , after creation of Pakistan, colonial trained establishment had no attraction in China but there were political leaders and intellectuals who had a vision to develop relations with China. Among those people one was Mian Iftiqaruddin of Lhore. He visited China in September 1951 and what he said about Pak China friendship at Peking radio is recorded in his book of statements and speeches. It is to me remembered that in last 70 years three PMs & one editor had played vital role but they paid the price too. Husain Shaheed Suhrawardy visited China in 1956, Signed friendship treaty. Z A Bhutto did his best, as FM & as PM to popularize Pak China relations. Benazier Bhutto & Nawaz Sharif  emphasized on it in 1993 and 1998. The tear 2015 was the prime year in Pak China history when both had signed CPEC. All the 4 paid heavy price for it and rest is history. 

 H SSuhrawardy meeting with zahu eanlai 1956

 Mian Iftiqaruddin 

Singing CPEC 

ہمالہ کے چشمے ابلنے لگے۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔ گراں خواب چینی سنبھلنے لگے

یہ علامہ اقبال تھے جنھوں نے 1930 کی  دہائی میں چینیوں کے ابھرنے کی نوید سنائی تھی جو  اکتوبر 1949 کوسچ ثابت ہوئی۔ 21 مئی 1951 کو پاکستان اور عوامی جمہوریہ  چین نے سفارتی تعلقات قائم کیے تھے۔جن سیاسی رہنماوں کی کاوششوں سے  پاک چین دوستی کی بنیادیں رکھی گئیں تھیں ان کے آج کوئی نام بھی نہیں جانتا کہ انہیں میں لاہور کے میاں افتخارالدین بھی تھے جو 29 ستمبر 1951 کو ایشیائی امن کانفرنس اور چینی انقلاب کی دوسری سالگرہ پر پارلیمانی وفد لے کر  پیکنگ  یعنی بیجنگ گئے تھے اور پیکنگ ریڈیو نے  نئے چین کی حوالے سے انکی تقریر نشر کی تھی جو ریکارڈ کاحصہ ہے۔ اکتوبر 1956 میں پاکستان کے وزیراعطم حسین شہید سہروردی نے چین کا دورہ کر کے پاک چین دوستی کو توانا کیا۔یہی وہ کوششیں تھیں جن کی وجہ سے1959 میں شاہراہ قراکرم  بنانے پر دونوں ملک راضی ہوئے۔1963 میں بطور وزیرخارجہ ذولفقار علی بھٹو کے دورہ چین کو بہت اہمیت حاصل ہے۔1970 کی دہائی میں پاکستان کے مقبول عام رہنما ذولفقار علی بھٹو نے ماو کیپ پہن کر پاک چین دوستی کو عوامی رنگ دیا۔ 1995 میں محترمہ بے نطیر بھٹو نے چین میں خواتین کی عالمی کانفرنس میں شرکت کی۔1998 میں میاں نواز شریف کے دور میں پاکستان اور چین نے  مشترکہ طور پرجے ایف 17 بنانے کے معاہدے پر دستخط کیے۔۔2006 کو چینی صدر پاکستان آئے۔2015 کا سال پاک چین دوستی  کے عروج کا سال ہے جب 46 ارب ڈالر کی سرمایہ کاری سے سی پیک کے تاریخی معاہدے پر چینی صدر شی پنگ اور پاکستانی وزیراعظم میاں نواز شریف نے دستخط کیے۔

1950 – Pakistan becomes the third non-communist country, and first Muslim one, to recognise the People's Republic of China.

1951 – Beijing and Karachi establish diplomatic relations.

1956 – Pakistani Prime Minister Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai signing the Treaty of Friendship Between China and Pakistan in Beijing.

1962 – Sino-Indian War breaks out between China and India.

1963 – Pakistan cedes the Trans-Karakoram Tract to China, ending border disputes.

1970 – Pakistan helps the U.S. arrange the 1972 Nixon visit to China.

1978 – The Karakoram Highway linking the mountainous Northern Pakistan with Western China officially opens.

1980s – China and the U.S. provide support through Pakistan to the Afghan guerillas fighting Soviet forces.

1986 – China and Pakistan reach a comprehensive nuclear co-operation agreement.^{[citation needed]}

1996 – Chinese President Jiang Zemin pays a state visit to Pakistan.

1999 – A 300-megawatt nuclear power plant, built with Chinese help in Punjab province, is completed.

2001 – A joint-ventured Chinese-Pakistani tank, the MBT-2000 (Al-Khalid) MBT is completed.

2002 – The building of the Gwadar deep sea port begins, with China as the primary investor.

2003 – Pakistan and China signed a $110 million contract for the construction of a housing project on Multan Road in Lahore.^[71]

2006 – China and Pakistan sign a free trade agreement.

2007 – The Sino-Pakistani joint-ventured multirole fighter aircraft – the JF-17 Thunder (FC-1 Fierce Dragon) is formally rolled out.

2008 – Pakistan welcomes the Chinese Olympic Torch in an Islamabad sports stadium, under heavy guard amidst security concerns.^[65]

2008 – Pakistan and China agree to build a railway through the Karakoram Highway, in order to link China's rail network to Gwadar Port.

2008 – The F-22P frigate, comes into service with the Pakistani Navy.^[72]

2009 – The ISI arrest several suspected Uyghur terrorists seeking refuge in Pakistan.

2010 – Pakistan and China conduct a joint anti-terrorism drill.^{[citation needed]}

2010 – China donates $260 million in dollars to flood-struck Pakistan and sends 4 military rescue helicopters to assist in rescue operations.^{[citation needed]}

2010 – Wen Jiabao visits Pakistan. More than 30 billion dollars worth of deals were signed.^[73]

2011 – Pakistan is expected to buy air-to-air SD 10 missiles from China for its 250 JF 17 thunder fighter fleet.^{[citation needed]}

2013 – Management of Gwadar Port is handed over to state-run Chinese Overseas Port Holdings after previously being managed by Singapore's PSA International,^[74] and it becomes a matter of great concern for India.^[75]

2013 – Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visits Pakistan. Trade between China and Pakistan hit a 12-month figure of $12 billion for the first time in 2012.^[76]

2013 – On 5 July 2013, Pakistan and China approved the Pak-China Economic corridor which will link Pakistan’s Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea and Kashghar in Xinjiang in northwest China. The $18 billion project will also includes the construction of a 200 km-long tunnel.^[77][58]

2013 – On 24 December 2013, China announced a commitment $6.5 billion to finance the construction of a major nuclear power project in Karachi, the project which will have two reactors with a capacity of 1,100 megawatts each.^[78]

2014 – Chinese Premier announced investment of $31.5 billion in Pakistan mainly in countries energy, infrastructure and port expansion for Gwadar. According to The Express Tribune initially projects worth $15–20 billion will be started which include Lahore-Karachi motorway, Gwadar Port expansion and energy sector projects will be launched in Gadani and six coal projects near Thar coalfield. The newspaper further claimed that the government has also handed over to Pakistan Army the task of providing fool-proof security to Chinese officials in Balochistan, Pakistan, in a bid to address Beijing's concerns and execute the investment plan in the province, which will get 38% of the funds.^[79]

2014 – On 22 May 2014, The governments of Pakistan and China on Thursday signed an agreement to start a metro train project in Lahore, Express News reported. The 27.1 kilometres long track – named Orange Line – will be built at the cost of $1.27 billion.^[80]

2014 – On 8 November 2014, Pakistan and China signed 19 agreements particularly relating to China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, China pledged a total investment worth of $42 billion. While Pakistan pledged to help China in its fight concerning the Xinjiang conflict.^[81]

2015 – On 20 April 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping, accompanied by the First Lady and a delegation of high-level officials and businessmen, visits Pakistan. It is the first visit to Pakistan by a Chinese president after a gap of 9 years and the first foreign trip of Xi in 2015. 51 Memorandums of Understanding are signed, including the plan of "Pakistan China Economic Corridor".^[82]

2015 – Pakistan began circulating the Rs. 20 coin with the Pakistan and China flags to commemorate the countries' lasting friendship.^[83]