International Shia News Agency

65 years of New China

Syed Ali Nawaz Gilani

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association)

Friendship among peoples is the foundation for World peace & development as well as preconditions for win-win cooperation. Trust & equality are the prerequisite of mutually beneficial cooperation”. Chinese President Xi Jinping said while delivering inaugural speech at the China International Friendship Conference to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) in Beijing May 2014.
China is the world’s most populous country, with a continuous culture stretching back nearly 4,000 years. Many of the elements that make up the foundation of the modern world originated in China, including paper, gunpowder, credit banking, the compass and paper money.
The People’s Republic of China was founded on Saturday on 1st October 1949 by Great Chairman Mao Zedong. Over the past 65 years, China has been on a path toward strength and prosperity from instability and poverty. Tremendous changes have happened in China’s society, economy, standards of living and international status. China has won economic and political independence, and is continually developing into a modern country with a flourishing economy and a democratic political system. Increasingly, it is becoming an active participant in international relations, moving to the center of the world stage from its former role at the margins. Meanwhile, China has also made progress toward peaceful reunification, as evidenced by its resumption of the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong and Macao.
China’s GDP in 2013 was 56.8 Trillion RMB Yuan while Per Capita GDP was 41908 RMB Yuan which is equal to US $ 6870. During 2013 Chinese investment is Foreign Countries was US$ 108 Billion showing 16.8% growth over 2012 international investment by China. During 2013 Foreign students in China were more then 35 thousand. Robust growth has turned China into the second largest and fastest economy in the world, laying a solid foundation for the country’s efforts to deepen its reforms. Additionally, the establishment of a market economy system has allowed reforms to be carried out at higher levels. Having coped with various challenges, the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) has accumulated valuable experience to guide these new reforms.
The collapse in international export markets that accompanied the global financial crisis of 2009 initially hit China hard, but its economy was among the first in the world to rebound, quickly returning to growth. In February 2011 it formally overtook Japan to become the world’s second-largest economy. Now a days China is one of the world’s top exporters and is attracting record amounts of foreign investment. In turn, it is investing billions of dollars abroad.
Moreover, the fast-growing economy has fuelled the demand for energy. China is the largest oil consumer after the US, and the world’s biggest producer and consumer of coal. It spends billions of dollars in pursuit of foreign energy supplies. There has been a massive investment in hydro-power, including the $25bn Three Gorges Dam project.
A surge in Chinese consumer spending will help the country over take America to become the world’s biggest economy by 2024, according to a new report. The US, which has held the crown as the world’s economic powerhouse for more than a century, is expected to slip behind China in the global rankings amid a three-fold rise in consumer spending to $10.5 trillion (£6.5 trillion) over the next ten years, from $3.5 trillion today.
China’s economy is expected to re-balance towards more rapid growth in consumption, which will help the structure of the domestic economy as well as growth for the Asia Pacific (APAC) as a region. Analysts believe consumer spending in China will grow at an annual average rate of 7.7pc per year in real terms over the next decade to become “a key engine of global consumer demand”.
The vital role of various NGOs in development of soft & friendly image of China around the World is a part of Chinese Policy for Peoples to Peoples contact. Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) recently celebrate 60th anniversary of its establishment and arrange international conference in May 2014. CPAFFC-China this event was formally inaugurate by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Friends of China around the world were invited on this commemorations.
China–Pakistan relations began on 21st May 1951 when official diplomatic relations were established. Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize People’s Republic of China. Since then, both countries have placed considerable importance on the maintenance of an extremely close and supportive relationship. Both the countries have regularly exchanged high-level visits resulting in a variety of agreements. China has provided economic, military and technical assistance to Pakistan and each considers the other a close strategic ally.
Economic trade between Pakistan and China is increasing at a rapid pace and a free trade agreement has recently been signed. Military and technological transactions continue to dominate the economic relationship between the two nations, although in recent years China has pledged to vastly increase their investment in Pakistan’s economy and infrastructure. During year 2013 Chinese investment was more then 120 Million US $ showing 99.9% increase and total China’s investment till 2013 was 2.32 Billion US $. While bilateral trade in 2013 was 14.2 Billion 14.5 % more then of 2012. During 2013 more then 9 thousand Pakistan student went to China for studies. Among other things, China has been helping to develop Pakistan’s infrastructure through the building of power plants, roads and communication nodes.
Our bilateral trade has grown, but it is nowhere near the potential that exists between the two countries. Pakistan has a lot to offer, as it is rich in all kinds of resources. Both the countries not only share border but also have unanimity of views on various political and economic issues. The two countries have a combined market of more than 1.5 billion people but the trade volume needs to be pushed up. The Chinese importers may have better prospects for Pakistani goods particularly of carpets, leather and leather products, surgical equipment, sports goods, fruits and vegetables, rice, pharmaceuticals, cotton etc. Most of our industrial units in these areas are ISO certified and are producing best quality products at competitive rates as compared with other countries in the region.
Further joint ventures could be initiated in sectors like construction, hotels and tourism, small and medium enterprises cluster development, computer and cellular chips, textiles and garments, home appliances, corporate farming, seafood and food processing, banks and finance and light engineering etc.
The two most important areas where Pakistan needed urgent assistance were energy and agriculture. Pakistan is an agrarian society with tremendous potential in agricultural sector. China has expertise both in agriculture and agro-based industry and if some Joint Ventures were carried out, it would be mutually beneficial for both countries. The increase in agricultural production would not only help in meeting our local demands but also enable us to export surplus quantity to China.
The relations between Pakistan and China have been described as higher than the mountains, deeper than the oceans, stronger than steel, dearer than eyesight and sweeter than honey.

www.shafaqna.com/english

Leave a Comment