Press Release
Inauguration & Launch of China-Pakistan Study Centre’s Magazine PIVOT
Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad
January 23, 2019
“It is important to give a platform for the youth and promote people to people linkages. To enable the young generation to carry forward the legacy of Pak-China friendship is the need of the hour. I am confident that PIVOT will help in this regard.” This was stated by Ms. Tehmina Janjua, Foreign Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan,the Chief Guest at the inauguration and launch of the China Pakistan Study Center’s (CPSC) magazine PIVOT,organized by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) today. Remarks were also given by H.E. Yao Jing, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China.
PIVOT is a quarterly magazine. Its aim will be to project Pakistan-China relations, developments in diverse spheres such as policy, economy, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.
Ms. Janjua said that the word ‘Pivot’ is reflective of the relationship between the two countries since China is the pivot of Pakistan’s foreign policy and vice versa. She said that the CPSC is fulfilling an essential requirement that is bringing the relationship to the forefront and congratulated the ISSI for reinvigorating the Center which she said is a highly important component of the Institute. China is Pakistan’s time tested friend and the Pak-China friendship has few parallels in the international relations. Pakistan wants to give the world the message of peaceful development and it is working hard to pursue this objective. Talking about China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) she said it was adding a strong dimension to the ties and will play an important connecting role in the entire region. Simultaneously, it will also play an important role in bringing peace to the entire region.
Dr. Talat Shabbir,Director CPSC, introduced the magazine. Sideways he said that Pakistan and China are strategic cooperative partners with their bilateral relationship standing the test of time and history. The rise of China in the global context and its economic pre-eminence has propelled new dynamics for globalisation and the common good. Pakistan, of course, is fortunate to be playing an important role in connectivity and prosperity in our region. Thus, there is a need to promote a better understanding of the vision of the two countries, focusing on all-inclusive facets of Pakistan-China relations. He said that the aim of the CPSC activities is to undertake pragmatic and meaningful research and advocacy to promote Pakistan-China relations in diverse spheres. In this regard, China-Pakistan Study Centre aspires to be a centre of excellence devoted to strengthening relations between the two countries.
During his comments, H.E. Yao Jing congratulated the launching of the first issue of PIVOT, which he said is an excellent way to learn Pakistan’s perception of the relationship of the two countries. He talked about the ‘pivot’ of the Chinese foreign policy, which is based on two principles: peaceful development which does not challenge international order and win-win cooperation based on dialogue and collaboration. Pakistan’s figures at a pivotal position in the Chinese new diplomacy for peaceful development. He said that Pakistan is a peace-loving country has always advocated for peaceful relations with not only its neighbours but with all the international community. China has a firm commitment to aid Pakistan in this. Regarding cooperation of both countries, he said development is the key to dealing with all the challenges in the present order. This encompasses development of self as well as the development of the entire region, he said.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry,Director General ISSI, talked about how ties between China and Pakistan have become stronger with time. China has created the necessary mechanism to make connectivity a reality- the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the CPEC are examples of that especially at a time when there is the rise of anti-globalism at the international stage. However, considerable propaganda has been unleashed to undermine the cooperation of the two countries. It is in this context that the CPSC has embarked on this initiative to create awareness of the utility of the projects created by China sideways also highlighting the progress made by these countries.
In his concluding remarks, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood,Chairman BOG ISSI, said that the BRI is not only a path of development but once of peace, which will provide ideas to address security issues. Previously, commercial cooperation of the two countries had not been at par with the defence ties and there had been limited people to people contact. The CPEC is now providing a solution to both problems and bringing in the economic dimension as well as facilitating linkages between the two countries. With regards to the magazine, he said that the PIVOT is an important and timely initiative. The fact that it covers various facets brings forth new dimensions of the relationship makes it unique and significant.
