Pakistan becomes China's most important partner

Pakistan is increasingly becoming China's most important partner in Asia, with greater thrust on promoting economic ties, according to a report published in an influential and leading English magazine, the 'Beijing Review' this month.
The report, giving a detail analysis of prevailing geo-political situation underlined the importance of Sino-Pak friendship in the region and highlighted the strong resolve of their leadership pushing forward the strategic partnership to a new height in the 21st century.
It quoted General Jamshed Ayaz Khan, President of the Institute of Regional Studies in Islamabad, as having said, "a nation-wide opinion poll on "Pakistan's best friends in the world; was conducted recently, and China came out tops."
Dr Wang Wei, Director of the Office of South Asian Studies under the China Association for International Friendly Contact, speculated that if a similar opinion poll were to be run in China, the result could well be similar.
According to Wang, who has been studying the relationship between China and South Asian countries for more than 10 years, the two countries have avoided disputes ever since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1951.
The basis of such stable relations is diverse, and includes mutual national interests, common strategic consensus, mutual respect of sovereignty and non-interference, sincerity and support of the peoples.
China gives assistance without any conditions and always appreciates the help it receives.
It is a relationship "deeper than the oceans and higher than the mountains," as described by both President Hu Jintao and President Pervez Musharraf on the latter's third state visit to Beijing in February.
According to the magazine's report, historically, Pakistan has also played an important role in establishing diplomatic relations between China and the United States. One example is former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger's icebreaking visit to Beijing in 1971 that started from Peshawar, Pakistan.
In its own right, as a big Islamic country with a population of 160 million, as well as being the sole nuclear country in the Islamic world, Pakistan holds an important position among developing countries world-wide as well as in the Islamic world.
Recently Pakistan has called on China to consider its role as an energy and trade corridor between China and the Middle East. President Musharraf first raised this idea and elaborated on it in an exclusive interview with Beijing Review.
He stressed Pakistan's geographic advantage, which is important to China. Located between South Asia, China and Central Asian republics, Pakistan is a country that cannot be ignored by anyone who wants to interact between these regions.
As a large economy with rapid economic growth, China imports oil from Saudi Arabia and transports the oil on a long route around its east coast. China also trades with Europe, Africa, the Middle East and India.
But how China could facilitate all this trade along its lengthy east coast is a problem.
The magazine says, Musharraf had the answer, "China can route through Pakistan. Because of our friendship with China and Central Asian republics, we would like to provide a shortcut route and contribute to all kinds of trade and energy co-operation," Musharraf stressed.
Pakistan borders China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and has a comparatively convenient and secure transportation network in place.
"Pakistan's Gwadar Port is capable of serving as China's important energy transfer station. Oil from Africa and the Middle East will reach the port and go on to China via road, rail or pipelines. This is China's new energy channel," said Pan Zhiping, Director of the Central Asian Studies Institute of the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences.