Daily Times

As the transformations unseen in a century are unfolding at an accelerating pace, international relations are undergoing profound adjustments, and the world has entered a period of turbulence and transformation, people of all countries have greater expectations for peace and security. Meanwhile, the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has entered a critical stage, and China’s development has placed higher demands on national security.

President Xi Jinping thought deeply about the development trend of the times, relentlessly explored the path of national security with Chinese characteristics, and creatively put forward a holistic approach to national security, which takes the people’s security as ultimate goal, political security as fundamental task, economic security as foundation, military, cultural and societal security as means of guarantee, and promotion of international security as support, and ensure both internal and external security, homeland and public security, traditional and non-traditional security, and China’s own and common security. It has pointed out the way forward for maintaining and shaping national security with Chinese characteristics and offered China’s solution to building a world with lasting peace and universal security. As Pakistan’s all-weather strategic cooperative partner, we stand ready to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning with Pakistan and continuously enrich the connotation of a China-Pakistan community with a shared future.

We should take the people’s security as the ultimate goal, and effectively protect Chinese citizens in Pakistan.

We should take the people’s security as the ultimate goal, and effectively protect Chinese citizens in Pakistan. The people are the foundation of a country and are also what the rule of a country is for. The national security work is ultimately to protect the interests of the people and enable them to live and work in peace and happiness. President Xi Jinping emphasized that we must always put the people first, put the life, and ensure the life and security of the people. A holistic approach to national security takes the people’s position as the fundamental position and emphasizes that national security is for the people and relies on the people, which reflects President Xi Jinping’s deep feelings for the people. Chinese citizens in Pakistan actively participate in Pakistan’s national construction and promote China-Pakistan-friendly cooperation. We should do everything possible to protect their safety and value their contributions. It’s heart-wrenching that in the recent terrorist attack on 26th March, five Chinese citizens were deprived of their young lives. We hope and believe that the Pakistani side will speed up the investigation of the incident, find out the truth, severely punish the perpetrators, raise counter-terrorism efforts, resolutely crack down on and root out the evil, and take all measures to protect the safety and security of Chinese personnel, institutions and projects in Pakistan, and create favourable conditions for advancing China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperation and building a China-Pakistan community with a shared future.

We should take economic security as a foundation, and continue to promote the building of an upgraded version of CPEC. Development and security are like the two wings of a bird or the two wheels of a cart. Security is the prerequisite for development, and development is the guarantee of security. As President Xi Jinping pointed out, a tree of peace cannot grow on barren land, nor can it bear the fruits of development amidst the flames of war. For most Asian countries, development means the greatest security and the master key to regional security issues. CPEC, as an important signature project under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, has effectively promoted Pakistan’s economic and social development since its launching 10 years ago, by bringing in 25.4 billion dollars of direct investment, 236 thousand jobs, 510 KM expressway, more than 8,000 megawatts of power and 886 KM core power transmission grid. It is now entering the new phase of building a corridor of growth, livelihood, innovation, greenness and openness. The 26th March terrorist attack showed once again that a secure and stable environment is critical to the practical cooperation between China and Pakistan and the building of CPEC. China stands ready to work hand-in-hand with Pakistan to defeat the evil attempt at disrupting our cooperation, to safeguard development with security to promote security with development, and to advance high-quality CPEC cooperation.

We should take the promotion of international security as a support, and further enhance China-Pakistan counter-terrorism and security cooperation. While one chopstick is easy to break, a bunch of chopsticks are much more resilient. Faced with the chaotic international security situation, interwoven traditional and non-traditional security threats, and an ever-increasing number of terrorist attacks, all countries need to work together in addressing various security challenges for win-win results. President Xi Jinping, with his profound perception of the historical trend of humanity’s future and the world’s development, proposed at the right time the Global Security Initiative. It gives explicit answers to questions of our times such as what security concept the world needs and how countries can achieve common security, and provides guiding principles for the promotion of global security governance. It becomes a vivid example of the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind in the field of security and manifests President Xi Jinping’s breadth of vision and caring for the whole world. Bonded by mountains and rivers, China and Pakistan are closely linked in security interests. We stand ready to work with Pakistan in jointly implementing the Global Security Initiative and building a peaceful and secure homeland. Moreover, the 26th March terrorist attack also showed how violence and terrorism are challenging the bottom line of human civilization. We must take resolute actions to crack down on them. China stands ready to further strengthen counter-terrorism and security cooperation with Pakistan, to maintain high pressure and rigorous operation, to decisively strike the rampant terrorism, effectively safeguard the lives and interests of our two peoples and jointly maintain regional peace and security as well as international fairness and justice.

Unity is strength, and solidarity is indispensable for victory. In today’s world where changes unseen in a century are unfolding at an accelerating pace, the strategic significance of China-Pakistan relations becomes even more prominent. Focusing on the new phase of our bilateral ties, we will stick to the guidance of the important consensus between President Xi Jinping and Pakistan’s national leaders, carry forward our traditional friendship, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, jointly build an upgraded version of CPEC, continuously deepen the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, stand shoulder-to-shoulder in facing global changes, and build an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era. In this significant process, China stands ready to implement a holistic approach to national security together with Pakistan, to promote the Global Security Initiative for tangible results, and to write a chapter on security in building the China-Pakistan community with a shared future, to safeguard our common interests and benefit the two peoples during the centennial changes.

The writer is the ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Pakistan.