Against the backdrop of the Post-Covid scenario as well as changing international alignments on the economy, security and politics, the meeting of President Xi Jinping and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif created a global buzz during the 22nd summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Such a high-scale meeting between two leaders has only further established the all-weather friendship and the mutual agenda, vision and policies of the two inseparable partners. Pakistan is indeed challenged by a financial crunch, political instability and security vulnerability. Taking advantage of such frailties, international donors and powers are hell-bent to force Pakistan to ditch China diplomatically and even on all global platforms. The feeling of warmth at the SCO huddle between the two is a decisive signal that Pakistan and China are part and parcel of a shared future in the new era.
As the first Islamic nuclear power on the globe, Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif, during a meeting with President Xi Jinping entrenched Pakistan’s adherence to the one-China philosophy, especially China’s fair case on the satisfactory human rights situation in Xinjiang. Having stood by China on dismissing a lopsided report regarding the human rights situation in China’s Xinjiang Autonomous Region released by the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) at the UN, Pakistan’s PM has dared international pressure, particularly at a time when the West and US can negatively influence Pakistan position in FATF, and further loans from the IMF and upcoming trading facilities in the EU and US.
The meeting came to the fore with the joint stance of both leaders that on all global platforms, including the UN and WHO, they will continue to pursue the multilateral goals to play their roles in health challenges, climate changes, terrorism and economic survivability. Their tenacity in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to promote its inclusive prosperity is the best example of a partnership that is growing every day.
The meeting also laid down the fresh foundation of bilateral relations rooted in trust and joint workability, tapping the area of security, communication, industry, science and technology, flood management and socio-economic development of common people. Even before a meeting of congeniality between both leaders, China also showed a sense of satisfaction with the formation of security mechanisms after the positive conclusion of the JWC on security in which security cover may be enveloped on non-corridor projects. Later in the course of the meet-up, it was obvious that they were on the same page regarding the security of Chinese nationals in Pakistan.
In South Asia, meetings also remained the focus of attention due to Pak-India tension because both are permanent members of the SCO. It carried a salience in the eyes of the Pakistani nation as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif especially thanked President Xi Jinping for subscribing to Pakistan’s concern on rising human rights violations in Kashmir and its solution as per tenets of the UN.
As a result of the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is likely to visit Beijing. Pakistan is also looking forward to the visit of President XI Jinping.