ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has proven its iron-clad friendship with China bystanding with the all-weather friend amid Beijing’s tensions withWashington on the Taiwan issue.
The China-US tension worsened after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who issecond in line to the Oval Office after the US vice-president, visitedTaiwan and reaffirmed her country’s unwavering commitment to supportingTaiwan’s ‘democracy.’
Pelosi’s visit infuriated China as Beijing believes it was a violation ofthe ‘One-China’ policy, however, the US claims this trip in no waycontradicted long-standing US policy on the self-governed island.
Pakistan, which is trying to improve ties with the US, came out to standwith China on the ‘One China’ issue. This was significant when Islamabadawaits release of funds by the International Monetary Fund as part of abailout package amid dwindling economy.
In a quick response, Pakistan’s foreign office said: “Pakistan is deeplyconcerned over the evolving situation in the Taiwan Strait, which hasserious implications for regional peace and stability.”
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It added that the country stands by ‘One-China’ policy and has a strongcommitment to it. Citing the situation in Eastern Europe and its fallouts,Pakistan Foreign Office said that the world is already witnessing asecurity situation and destabilising implications for international foodand energy security.
“The world cannot afford another crisis that has negative consequences forglobal peace, security and economy,” the FO maintained.
The ‘One-China’ policy is the diplomatic acknowledgement of China’sposition that there is only one Chinese government. Under the policy, theUS recognises and has formal ties with China rather than the island ofTaiwan, which China sees as a breakaway province to be reunified with themainland one day.