China has got a stranglehold on the economy and politics in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Our neighbours entered into an agreement with each other to develop the Silk Road, the ancient trade route connecting East to the West. While China claims it will help the countries which fall in that route, other nations and their dignitaries who understand the motives behind China’s decisions disagree. Charles Parton, a former European Union diplomat commented about the New Silk Route plan, the scheme is essentially a “domestic policy with geostrategic consequences, rather than a foreign policy,” while talking to the Financial times. The Belt and Road initiative of China was heavily criticised by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while his Pakistani counterparts rejoiced at the idea of receiving infrastructure and technological benefits from its close allies, the Chinese. The reasons for India’s rejection are numerous. India does not want to bend its knees in front of a country which is expansionist in nature. The insatiable appetite of China further turned India away from joining the initiative which Pakistan had happily agreed to.
We have previously covered how Pakistani citizens were thoroughly humiliated by Chinese nationals in Pakistan. The latest in line is the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi . The Pakistani PM had gone to attend the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) in China. BFA is a non-profit organisation that hosts leaders from various governments, business and academia in Asia and other countries to share their vision on the pressing issues in Asia and the world at large. BFA is modelled on the World Economic Forum which is held annually in Davos, Switzerland.
China Global Television Network (CGTN), the official television channel of China, released a video in which CGTN’s Zou Yue, a reporter sat down to have a chat with the Pakistani PM. The contents of the video are just a repetition of the Pakistani and Chinese government’s assurance to the people of the Pakistan. PM Abbasi readily agrees to every point being raised by the Chinese reporter. He acknowledges the Yuan holding by Pakistan to pay for the bi-lateral trade in future, agrees that the development of the Gwadar port has helped people of the region, although China is the only country which is actually benefitting from the Gwadar port and the Yuan holdings of Pakistan. Leaders from across the world while meeting reporters do so confidently and seem to be in command, but the Pakistani PM had no hand motions, not even his facial expressions changed throughout the duration of the clip, though he seemed to agree with everything being said and done, his physical stiffness suggested otherwise. This is in stark contrast to the stance taken by Indian leaders such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi while dealing with journalists. It is not a war between the media and the political leaders usually, but then why should a leader chosen by the masses ever be overpowered by a journalist who is there to get his exclusive bite.
https://twitter.com/anita_chauhan80/status/983597268648411141
The reasons for the Pakistani PM’s expressionless interview became clearer when photos which revealed the seating position of the Pakistani PM and the Chinese reporter surfaced. The Pakistani PM can be seen in these photos holding onto the sides of the chair, his uncomfortable seating position explains the emotionless interview given by him. The reporter is definitely the man in command here. He is leaning towards the Pakistani PM while PM Abbasi is trying to ‘balance’ on the chair as well as on the issues being discussed in the interview. The reason why this issue is an important one is because the person feeling discomforted here is the Prime Minister of a nation who is talking to a reporter. This is not a meeting taking place between two people who hold equal positions in their countries.
Pakistan's prime minister getting disciplined by his Chinese school master for 'talking in class's. https://t.co/hw4LDeRHic
— Tarek Fatah (@TarekFatah) April 10, 2018
It would have been rude gesture had a PM sat in visible discomfort at a meeting of Prime Ministers of Asia, let alone in an interview given to a journalist. But the sorry state of affairs for Pakistan did not allow the Pakistani PM to protest or leave the interview. And almost guarantees that the domination of Pakistan by China shall continue unchecked.
