ISLAMABAD, Mar 22: Chairman, Pakistan-China Institute, and Senate DefenceCommittee Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed Tuesday said that Pakistan, China,and Saudi Arabia can play a pivotal role in strengthening unity, economicdevelopment, and connectivity in the Muslim world.
“China is emerging as a key player in the Muslim world and this role isbeing enhanced also due to its ties with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” hesaid while addressing a webinar.An Islamabad-based think tank, Pakistan-China Institute (PCI), held aspecial Webinar that welcomed China’s participation in the OIC anddiscussed how the Chinese system had delivered for their people, rangingfrom poverty alleviation to good governance.
The Webinar, which was held under the banner of the “Friends of Silk Road”,with the theme of ‘Whole Process People’s Democracy: Understanding theChinese System’, started with opening remarks by Senator Mushahid HussainSayed, in which he welcomed China’s participation in OIC.
Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed also welcomed the close coordination betweenPakistan and Saudi Arabia, enabling the invitation to China in the OIC,which was in recognition of China’s longstanding relationship and supportto the Muslim World, adding that Pakistan-Saudi Arabia close collaborationwas reminiscent of the brotherly bond between Pakistan and Saudi Arabiathat enabled the first successful OIC Summit in Pakistan at Lahore in 1974. In the context of changing geopolitics, Senator Mushahid Hussain said thatChina is emerging as a key player in the Muslim world and this role isbeing enhanced also due to its ties with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Read Top Stories
He lauded the strategic shift in Saudi Arabia’s policies, both domestic andforeign, especially liberalization and opening up in Saudi society,economy, culture, plus policies curbing religious extremism and promotionof women’s rights, as well as improvement in Saudi Arabia’s relations withIran and Turkey.Mushahid saw the emergence of a “strategic triangle” between Pakistan,China, and Saudi Arabia, which can play a pivotal role in strengtheningunity, economic development, and connectivity in the Muslim world.
He said the strategic shift in Saudi Arabia was due to the enlightenedleadership of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) and there were noweven discussions between Saudi Arabia and China for selling oil in RMB, theChinese currency, instead of the US dollar, while in the summer of 2022,President Xi Jinping was likely to visit Saudi Arabia and the Saudi CrownPrince MBS was likely to visit Pakistan.Speaking on the occasion, former Ambassador to China, Masood Khalid, whoserved in China for 6 years, said that China had developed its own model oflaw-based state governance, adopting global best practices, in whichdemocracy entails prosperity and a consultative process. He said PresidentXi Jinping remains very popular, as the lives of the Chinese people arebeing improved on a daily basis. He urged the need for cooperation betweenChina and the United States.