Islamabad. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Islamabad enjoys good relations with both China and the US and that it will play a “critical role like in the 1970s” to avert “another Cold War”. which has brought Beijing and Washington closer. The relationship between the US and China is at an all-time low. Tensions between the two countries are high over trade, Beijing’s aggressive military moves in the disputed South China Sea and human rights violations in Hong Kong, Tibet and Xinjiang region.
The Associated Press of Pakistan reported on Tuesday that Imran said in an interview to China’s state-run news channel ‘CGTN’ that the world should not go through a situation in which it is divided into two camps, because it will not benefit anyone. . Imran, who was in Beijing recently to attend the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, was responding to a question on the potential challenges facing Pakistan due to the escalating tensions between China and the US.
“I am hopeful that this (tension between the US and China) does not turn into another Cold War, where we have to choose one,” he said. The Pakistan Prime Minister said, ‘We have good relations with both China and America. We want to play the role of the 1970s, when Pakistan was instrumental in bringing America and China together.
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Imran was referring to the historic breakthrough in Sino-US relations in 1971, which was made possible by the crucial role played by Pakistan. “The famous visit of Henry Kissinger (then US Secretary of State) was organized by Pakistan, we hope to play the same role this time around,” he said.
According to a report published last year in the ‘Express Tribune’, Kissinger, in a webinar titled ’50 Years of China-US Relations’, recalled how the then Pakistani President General Yahya Khan flew a PIA plane from Islamabad to Beijing on July 9, 1971. Traveled in the U.S. and played an important role in secretly communicating between China and America.
During the interview, when asked about the impact of Pakistan-China ‘strategic ties’ on the region, especially Afghanistan, Imran said there is a consensus between Islamabad and Beijing on the issue that both sides are concerned about the stability and security of the region. How can we cooperate for prosperity? (agency)