Daily Times

Coronavirus has been contained and economic activities restored in the epicenter of the virus as Wuhan city returns to normal life. China wall began receiving visitors. These are a few glimpses of success of China against COVID-19.

It is said the virus began from Wuhan city of China and subsequently spread to other parts of China and other countries. China fought against COVID-19 with strategy and emerged successful. Consequently, the number of victims of virus began reducing and, at last lockdown from the city of Wuhan was withdrawn. Lights of the city indicated normal routine life.

After overcoming the virus, China first sent a delegation of medical personnel to Pakistan to share their experience with medical personnel and the government. China also sent ventilators and masks to Pakistan. This gesture displays close relationship between the two countries

Meanwhile, the United States leveled allegations that COVID-19 was created in a Wuhan laboratory. China refuted the accusation. The World Health Organization made it clear that COVID-19 was not a laboratory creation.

China is close friend of Pakistan. In this grave situation when countries are trying to prepare a vaccine for the treatment of the patients, China has proved that it is time tested friend of Pakistan. After overcoming the virus, China first sent a delegation of medical personnel to Pakistan to share their experience with medical personnel and the government. China also sent ventilators and masks to Pakistan. This gesture displays close relationship between the two countries.

Since signing the Border Agreement between Pakistan and China in 1963, the bilateral relations have grown day by day. Pakistan remained an ally of the United States through the South East Asia Treaty Organization (1954) and the Central Treaty Organization (1955). It is said that the US policy influenced the foreign policy of Pakistan. China and the US remained competitors in global politics. However, China supported Pakistan in rainy days, including 1965 Indo-Pakistan war. Pakistan has also supported China on different occasions.

China has offered Pakistan to join hands for the clinical test of a COVID-19 vaccine. According to media reports, the executive director of the Pakistan National Institute of Health, China has given vaccine to Pakistan for clinical testing. He expressed hope the vaccine would be launched in Pakistan in three months. In race of preparing vaccine against coronavirus, such offer by China to Pakistan will further strengthened already closed and cordial relations between the two countries.

Sino-Pakistan relations carry importance from various perspectives. These include containment of increasing US influence in the region of South Asia, to strengthen Asian fraternity, check expanding extremism by India and its policy of dominance in Asian in general and particularly in the region of South Asia and protecting economic relations of both countries. This bond may help Pakistan get the dispute of Kashmir resolved as China has supported the United Nations resolutions for holding plebiscite.

The people of India-held Kashmir are under miseries. They have been denied rights extended by Universal Declaration of Human Rights. According to Article 2 of the Declaration, “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty”. It is open to all to see whether the above Declaration is being followed by the so called largest democracy of India in Indian occupied Kashmir. Sino-Pak relations are ever progressing. It maintains balance of power in the region of South Asia.

The writer is an author and has a doctorate in Political Science