The joint CGSS and APNS tour of China that began on the morning of the 16th of April in Beijing and ended on the 20th of April in Shanghai was more than an eye-opener for me. I happened to represent both the organizations in the sense that I have roots in the APNS—the key regulatory body of the print media— and currently I am also associated as Senior Advisory Member to the Center of Global and Strategic Studies (CGSS) — a Think Tank with a mission to create maximum awareness about the need to cement Pakistan’s bonds with China as well as the Central Asian Republics.
Col. (rtd) Khalid Taimoor, the Director Operations of the CGSS has worked day and night to make the CGSS a cohesive unit and to power its multi-directional ventures involving the region mentioned above, with great resolve. My friend Ashfaque Gondal the retired Federal Information Secretary is a driving force of no lesser significance. As is Major General (rtd) Hafiz Masroor. Apart from these three and me, Qazi Asad Abid, the boss of the Ibrat group of publications, and recently elected Senior Vice President of the APNS, and my friend of over three decades and the APNS’s Executive Director Tanvir Tahir, constituted the China-going delegation. Sarmad Ali the Secretary General APNS originally was to head this delegation but he couldn’t make it because of unavoidable reasons. Thus we put Qazi Asad Abid in command, as the main purpose of this tour was to sign a Memorandum of Understanding regarding Media Relations between the two countries. The word “Understanding” happen to have acquired new dimensions in the context of Pakistan and China because of the CPEC and the game-changing One Belt—- One Road initiative of China’s current leadership.
Even though I am going to write later about this tour in detail, I want here to convey our great admiration and respect for the team that runs the top Chinese Daily Newspaper, Guangming, and that played host to us with amazing warmth and grace.
Guangming’s Director Foreign Affairs office Xiao Lianbing, and his Deputy Director Tan Limin made us all feel at home.
Leaving the details of our memorable journey for my future writings, I want to recall here a question that I asked a key Executive of Shanghai Shipping Exchange: “Do you regard India as a Partner or a Competitor?”
His reply was quite evasive as I had expected it to be.
To which I remarked laughing: “I admire your diplomatic skills.”
He too laughed “Well my friend you know the answer; so I don’t need to give it”.
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