Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

What is the significance of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Pakistan, his first abroad this year? The answer reflects the many dimensions of a relationship that has remained rock firm in the face of changing and sometimes difficult global and regional currents. 

The political relationship between China and Pakistan is already at a strategic level. During the visit, it was significantly upgraded to an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. Defense and defense technology cooperation, already significant for safeguarding Pakistan's national security in a difficult neighborhood, will be enhanced. It is a partnership not directed against anyone, but that contributes to the maintenance of peace, stability and security in a region in flux, where others are balancing and rebalancing on and offshore.

The core objective of this visit is to lift the economic aspect of the bilateral relationship to the same level as the political and strategic components. How is that to be done?

First of all, there is a common overarching vision of a community of shared destiny. Within that framework, the hope is to make Pakistan's port of Gwadar the southern anchor of the "One Belt and One Road" Eurasian connectivity for both the road and maritime silk routes.

Then there is developing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) from Gwadar to Kashgar to open up the hinterlands of both countries to connectivity and trade, internally, with other regional countries, and across the seas, cutting down distances, duration and costs of alternative routes.

Another objective is massive investment in Pakistan's infrastructure, which has been unable to keep pace with the country's needs. This will be done by prioritizing energy generation in hydro, coal, solar, wind and IAEA safeguarded civil nuclear power, transportation, including improving highways linking the border of both countries and further inland, upgrading the main North-South railway line.

I negotiated Pakistan's 2004 agreement with China against extremism, terrorism and separatism. Cooperation in combating terrorism will continue as a significant part of joint actions, as I expected, with China recognizing Pakistan's role of combating the East Turkestan Independence Movement. More Chinese will be working in Pakistan as economic projects get underway. Pakistan will increase measures for their security and a special force is being raised for this purpose.

The pivotal aspect of the visit is not just the substantial $46 billion quantum of Chinese projects that should flow into Pakistan during the early harvest and beyond. Rather, it is how effectively Pakistan can implement these projects and utilize new investment windows such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank of which it is a founding member and the Silk Road Fund. Joint cooperative mechanisms for the CPEC and other cooperation are in place.

However given Pakistan's generally past indifferent record, the key ministries must be severely tasked and overseen to pursue projects and programs to successful conclusion. With the whole world competing for Chinese investment, there is no room for backsliding.

Xi's visit is a huge opportunity for Pakistan to lift the public spirit and a message to its political class to close ranks for the urgent imperative of national development. Focusing and following through will provide a firmer foundation for Pakistan's stability and security, a stronger bilateral relationship to withstand present and future regional and international challenges; opportunities provided by connectivity for trade and energy access, and people to people contacts to imprint the younger generation on whom the future of the relationship depends.

The author is a retired Pakistani diplomat. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn