China Pakistan Study Centre (CPSC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), organized a seminar here on China’s “Global Development Initiative” aimed at development cooperation for achieving sustainable development goals. The chief guest at the seminar was Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairperson Senate Defense Committee. Former Ambassador to China Masood Khalid was the keynote speaker.
While delivering his address, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed lauded China for the launch of the far-reaching and consequential Global Development Initiative (GDI). He stated that the world was currently experiencing both transformation and turmoil. Different leaders were describing this decade in different ways. President Macron accurately stated that this decade marked the end of 300 years of Western dominance.
The current era was witnessing the rise of China and the ‘Asian Century.’ Despite global conflicts, climate change, poverty, and energy-related challenges, China had shown impressive leadership. China’s global strategy included the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative, which shared many similarities. This initiative reflected that Chinese values were all about cooperation, peace and respect. He noted that Chinese strategic culture without a second thought was an embodiment of cooperation, peace and respect for all.
He concluded by saying that Pakistan and China shared a long-standing, all-weather and time-tested strategic relationship. Therefore, both should work together to build an Asian century of progress, prosperity and cooperation. In his welcome remarks, Director General ISSI Ambassador Sohail Mahmood said that GDI was a critical initiative launched by China at a time when the world was deeply affected by the health and economic effects of Covid-19 pandemic and the deficit in the achievement of SDGs was growing.
President Xi Jinping presented the GDI at the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly in September 2021 to pool efforts to tackle the challenges of the world and to facilitate the post-pandemic recovery. He noted that Pakistan was one of the first countries to lend its strong support to the GDI. Pakistan was also among the first countries to become a member of the GDI’s ‘Group of Friends’ at the United Nations. A lot of progress had since been achieved from that platform.