ISLAMABAD: The China-Pakistan Study Centre (CPSC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) launched a special Platinum Jubilee edition of PIVOT Magazine to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China.
The special edition, titled “Pakistan-China All-Weather Partnership in Peace and Progress at Platinum Jubilee,” was launched at an event attended by diplomats, academics and China studies experts.
Ambassador Naghmana Hashmi, former ambassador of Pakistan to China, delivered the keynote address, while Xu Hangtian, Minister-Counsellor at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, was the guest of honour.
Other speakers included Dr Tahir Mumtaz Awan, Director, Pakistan Institute of China Studies, University of Sargodha; Dr Sadaf Jabbar, faculty member at the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, NUML Islamabad; and Professor Huang Yunsong, Associate Dean, School of International Studies, and Deputy Director, Institute of South Asian Studies, Sichuan University. Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman Board of Governors ISSI; Ambassador Moin ul Haque, Director General ISSI; and Dr Talat Shabbir, Director CPSC, also addressed the gathering.
In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Moin ul Haque said Pakistan-China relations were marked by exceptional trust, mutual respect and unconditional support. He noted the strong people-to-people dimension of the partnership and its broad scope across defence, trade and investment, industry, agriculture, green technology, climate change, clean energy, civil nuclear energy, space, health, education, culture and media.
He also referred to China’s development experience, particularly its focus on long-term planning, innovation, research and development, and socio-economic progress.
Ambassador Naghmana Hashmi described the special edition of PIVOT as a comprehensive publication that documents the evolution and future direction of Pakistan-China relations. She said the relationship needed to be continuously nurtured and protected from complacency and disinformation. She also underlined the importance of strategic communication, public diplomacy, good governance and learning from China’s development experience.
Dr Tahir Mumtaz Awan highlighted the significance of cultural diplomacy and people-to-people connectivity. He called for greater institutional cooperation through documentaries, films, cultural centres and exchange programmes, while also stressing youth engagement, digital initiatives and collaborative research.
Dr Sadaf Jabbar spoke about the role of language, education and cultural understanding in strengthening bilateral ties. She called for stronger think-tank partnerships, deeper Chinese studies, joint translation initiatives, student exchanges and cultural collaborations.
Professor Huang Yunsong termed PIVOT an important contribution to policy-oriented scholarship on Pakistan-China relations. He highlighted the transition towards CPEC 2.0, with greater focus on green modernisation, high-value industrial integration, technological innovation and productivity.
He also called for enhanced academic exchanges, joint research and cooperation in industrial development, agriculture, climate adaptation, clean energy, water resources and regional connectivity.
Xu Hangtian congratulated ISSI on the launch and said PIVOT was a joint contribution to strengthening understanding of the unique Pakistan-China friendship. He highlighted growing Chinese industrial cooperation in Pakistan, including local production, employment generation and technology transfer.
He also pointed to opportunities in industrialisation, digitalisation, artificial intelligence, renewable energy and emerging technologies, and stressed greater people-to-people and educational exchanges, youth development, countering misinformation, and expanding cooperation in space and other emerging fields.
In his opening remarks, Dr Talat Shabbir said Pakistan-China relations had transformed into an exceptionally close partnership covering political, diplomatic, economic, developmental, cultural and people-to-people cooperation.
In his concluding remarks, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood reaffirmed the enduring nature of Pakistan-China friendship and stressed the importance of building on the strong foundations laid over the past 75 years. He called for further strengthening economic, intellectual, cultural and people-to-people cooperation and looking to the future with renewed commitment to the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.
