This year marks the completion of 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the People’s Republic of China. Both countries have formally launched activities to commemorate their glorious journey of seven decades of very close and deep-rooted diplomatic ties. On this special occasion of the 70th anniversary, both sides have scheduled a series of activities and events for the whole year to celebrate this historic milestone in a befitting manner.
At a virtual ceremony which was simultaneously held in Islamabad and Beijing, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi reiterated their stance to further cement Pak-China ‘ironclad’ friendship.
A brief overview of this landmark historical journey indicates that Pakistan was one of the first few countries to recognise the People’s Republic of China when it was established on October 1, 1949. Both countries formally established their diplomatic relations on May 21, 1951. In the beginning, both countries faced some difficulties in the bilateral relationship. In the early 1950s, India enjoyed friendly relations with China. India and China started the era of ‘Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai’ in order to create good relations between them, while Pakistan decided to join the western bloc to counter security threats from India’s growing military power. During the Bandung Conference in 1955, then PM Pakistan Muhammad Ali Bogra met Chinese Prime Minister Chou Enlai and as a result, both countries succeeded to resolve their mutual concerns. The Bandung Conference built confidence between both countries and its successful conclusion paved the way for their smooth diplomatic, political, economic and defence relations.
Since the beginning of the 1960s, both countries started a new era of remarkable friendship. Pakistan and China inked the Boundary Agreement on March 2, 1963 and this agreement produced political, strategic and economic advantages for both countries. Later on, both countries also signed the air service and trade contract. Under the Air Service Agreement, Pakistan played a crucial role in the elimination of China’s isolation and difficulties. During the Indo-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971, China provided diplomatic, economic and military support to Pakistan. Pakistan always categorically supported China on its ‘One China Policy’ while China provided it support on Kashmir dispute.
