What happened?

On 26 May 2019, President Arif Alvi of Pakistan conferred Nishan-e-Pakistan on Chinese vice-president Wang Qishan during an investiture ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadar in Islamabad. The award was given to the Chinese dignitary to honour his role in the advancement of bilateral ties between Pakistan and China. The ceremony also initiated the launch of a Huawei Technical Support Centre in Pakistan as part of the larger investment projects in Pakistan.

What is the background?

This event has taken place amid the growing bilateral relations between China and Pakistan, the frequency of high-level visits by both heads of state has increased since the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to China in November last year and his participation in the second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing in April this year. Thus, leading to a more strengthened and cooperative relationship. CPEC, the mega project initiated under the BRI by the Chinese in Pakistan is the foundation of the deep-rooted friendship between the two countries. Both China and Pakistan stand to gain from this as well.

What does it mean?

By honouring the Chinese Vice President with this award, it goes to show how the time-tested and all-weather relationship between Pakistan and China who call themselves as an iron friend has only been strengthening over time. It also reiterates the well-established bilateral ties between the two where the incentive of both is to develop and increase the multidimensional areas of cooperation that they focus on. It also confirms the deepened levels of exchange at high levels which express the growing mutual trust between the two countries who are willing to cooperate for the development of CPEC and other bilateral engagements.