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    Conversation with Prof. Li Xiguang of Tsinghua University

    Written by: Aiza Azam
    Posted on: February 07, 2014 | | 中文

    Meeting held at PCI

    Eminent Dean and Professor Li Xiguang, Director Tsinghua University International Centre for Communication Studies and Director Tsinghua University Center for Pakistan Studies, recently led a delegation from Tsinghua University to Islamabad, during which he held a meeting with the Pakistan-China Institute to discuss potential avenues for collaboration. Prof. Li, former journalist and a long time and staunch advocate of Sino-Pak relations, organized the recent think tanks conference held in Beijing, where the Chairman of the Pakistan-China Institute Senator Mushahid Hussain was presented with an award for Outstanding Contributions to Pakistan-China Public Diplomacy with China. Senator Mushahid lauds Prof. Li as an intellectual and free-thinking person.  

    This was not Prof. Li’s first visit to Pakistan, having come here thrice before. The first time, he recalls, was in the winter of 1990, with Prof. Hassan Dani, whom he refers to as having been his mentor. “I followed him along the Silk Route for two years, to the desert of Western China and the Steppes. He was a great friend of China.” Prof. Li is also an admirer of Dr. Abdus Salam, and recalls that he organized Dr. Salam’s trip to China in 1988. During that trip, he relates, Dr. Salam met with Chinese Premier Deng Xiaoping in Beijing, and the Chinese leader told the Pakistani scholar that China would always support the third world countries. “The spirit of that meeting and those words is important. And I hope that it will be sustained. Though some Chinese elite may feel that China should no longer remain associated with the phrase ‘Third World country’, given its tremendous progress and velocity of development, I still think we should uphold the banner, and lead Third World countries together towards prosperity.”

    Prof. Li presents Senator Mushahid with a gift
    Prof. Li presents Senator Mushahid with a gift

    Prof. Li also stated his belief that China should pursue reinforcing ties with Pakistan more than with any other country. He cited their close economic and political relations and also touched upon the advantage Pakistan offered to Chinese exports, which at present rely on a tortuously long and time consuming route. “Historically and also currently,” he says, “Pakistan has been at the crossroads of China’s route to the West. As such, it is uniquely positioned to provide transit for Chinese exports to South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe.”

    “I also think,” he continued, “that the Chinese and Pakistani people should develop a better understanding of each other. So many Pakistanis have visited China and have even lived here, but they still don’t know how to conduct advantageous business with the Chinese; I don’t see many good Chinese products being sold in Pakistan. They have seen China’s high quality of life, its high speed trains, its skyscrapers, Chinese fashions, etc, but somehow this is not being translated into exploring advantageous collaboration. For instance we have our high speed trains, but Pakistani people are importing the Chinese Qingqi only! I also think that Chinese business persons have a limited understanding of Pakistani people. These are issues we must address. Recently, I set about organizing a workshop for interaction between Chinese and Pakistani business people. Several keynote speakers from the corporate sector were invited to deliver talks on how to bring foreign business in China. But when certain events in Pakistan caused an exacerbated security situation at the time, they canceled their trip. This was very negative.”

    Prof. Li also feels that both the Chinese and the Pakistani media must lay greater focus on the positive stories coming out of Pakistan, but without focusing on that exclusively. He thinks that neutral coverage is the best option and also expresses disapproval for mimicking stories or themes from Western publications. “Both China and Pakistan should see each other neutrally, objectively, factually.”  

    He ended by congratulating the Pakistan-China Institute on its work, and expressed his belief that the institute is playing a significant and crucial role in understanding China.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021