The Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad (ISSI) in collaboration with Pakistan-China Institute (PCI) organised the launch of a book, authored by S. M. Hali titled, China’s Stories, China’s Success: How China Transformed in the Past 40 Years. The distinguished keynote speakers at the launch were Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman, Parliamentary Committee on CPEC and Chairman, PCI, Ambassador Sun Weidong, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Pakistan, and Mr. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary, Federal Minister for Planning, National Reforms, and Development.
Ambassador Masood Khan, Director General ISSI, in his welcome remarks said that it is a very auspicious day that we have gathered in the name of China. The ISSI has already launched another book written by S. M. Hali recently and this is another book written by the same author. In his new book, Mr. Hali has touched upon success of China in the past decades. Ambassador Khan said that the author is a very perceptive observer and has tried to capture multiple diverse facets of China’s rise through his firsthand experience of China. Ambassador Khan, recalling his stay in China, highlighted that the development of China was so rapid that eyes could see it, but the mind cannot comprehend it. Highlighting the importance of Pak-China relations, he said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) mega-project is a success story. China is a strong country and it will continue to rise. Pakistan is fortunate that it is closely associated with it. China’s One Belt One Road Initiative (OBOR) and CPEC have already started succeeding. Through these projects, China and the international community are trying to reform the new world order which will be equally beneficial for all the economies around the globe. This will help to promote peace and stability in all regions. Appertaining the role of Chinese leadership, Ambassador Khan said that its leadership started by understanding the realities and they are still focusing on those realities to rise in future. Most subjective analysis substantiates that China will remain a positive factor in the world economy and its rise would be based on reality. Ambassador Khan said that China-Pakistan relations are like steel and are resilient enough to withstand any conspiracy. In order to strengthen China-Pakistan relations further, he argued that there is a need to increase people-to-people contact. Both sides need to work hard to increase this contact. Hali’s book is a good contribution in this regard.
