A Joint Seminar of NDU - National Defence University

the educational sector and providing better opportunities to students through fruitful
student exchange programs and signing MOU’s. Furthermore, if in the past various
MOU’s have been signed a need of implementing them in tangible terms is required.
Undoubtedly, both the states enjoy historical cordial relations and have survived through
every thick and thin. Thus, political challenges faced by Pakistan in terms of projects
like the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline requires Chinese involvement. The regional political
challenges faced by both the states are to be addressed mutually. In addition, Pakistan
needs to learn from the Chinese evolution since the 50’s and China is expected to help
the Pakistani’s in this regard.
In economic challenges, the major concerns were related to China’s regional
economic role. Pakistan may promote this role by facilitating Chinese outreach to the
Indian Ocean. Hence, the Gwadar port becomes extremely important in this regard. It
would not only help Pakistan economically but also provides a way out against the Extra
Regional Forces present in the Ocean.
Regarding the regional security issues, it was agreed that cooperation becomes
vital for both the states in order to face these challenges. The entire regional scenario is
faced with a wearing off of state sovereignty in the wake of extra-regional presence and
Global War on Terror. For instance, the over-stretched Afghanistan issue and the
projected US drawdown in 2014 are bound to raise security concerns for both Pakistan
and China. In addition, an inclination of the US to act as a regional hegemonic actor or
proxy also heightens threat perceptions of the regional states. These hotbeds of conflict
persist as people’s right of self-determination and principles of international legitimacy
have been side-stepped.
Wrap-Up
In his wrap-up remarks Dr. Tanvir Ahmed Khan emphasized on strengthening the
Pak-China relations in the backdrop of the upcoming regional and global issues. China’s
consistent peaceful rise shifted the world from uni-polarity to multi-polarity and pulled
half a billion people out of poverty. This is making the US nervous thus; it is busy in
developing strategies to contain China. Consequently, it is using proxies and assuring
the East Asian countries that they should not succumb to this rise. On the other hand it
has also shifted its concentration towards the Pacific. However, this does not mean that
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