- Song Tao was instrumental in promoting Sino-Pak people-to-people contacts, party-to-party linkages
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Moinul Haque, has conferred ‘Hilal-i-Pakistan’ award on Chinese Minister for International Department of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC) Central Committee, Mr. Song Tao, in recognition of his outstanding services towards Pakistan and strengthening of Pakistan-China relations.
A special Investiture Ceremony was held at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, Beijing, where Ambassador Moin conferred the award on Mr Song Tao on behalf of the President of Pakistan.
Mr. Song Tao is also a member of 19th CPC Central Committee of China. He has been a great friend of Pakistan and an ardent advocate of Pakistan-China friendship. In his capacity as Minister IDCPC, Mr Song Tao has been instrumental in promoting the sustainable and healthy development of Pakistan-China exchanges in the spheres of people-to-people contacts and party-to-party linkages.
Mr. Song Tao has also played a key role in fostering greater mutual understanding between the CPC and various political parties of Pakistan, thereby contributing to consolidating the all-around social consensus on the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership and jointly building a closer Pakistan-China Community of Shared Future in the New Era.
He was also the force behind to strengthen political support for realizing CPEC’s potential as a game-changer for Pakistan’s socio-economic development. The event was attended by the senior officials of International Department of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC) and officers of Pakistan Embassy.
Party-to-Party exchanges between China and Pakistan
The International Department (IDCPC) maintains relationships with more than 600 political parties from 160 countries. As a good friend of China, major political parties in Pakistan including the PTI have established institutionalized exchange with the CPC. The department invites major political parties in Pakistan to send delegations to China every year to engage in in-depth exchange with the CPC in such fields as experience in party and state governance, poverty alleviation, and party building.
CPEC Political Parties Joint Consultation Mechanism
Engaging with key political elites, whether in the ruling party or in the opposition, of foreign countries, is the key mandate of the International Department. The IDCPC has maintained friendly relations with major Pakistani political parties.
To better advance the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a game-changer for Pakistan, IDCPC has so far organized two conferences of CPEC Political Parties Joint Consultation Mechanism (JCM). This platform enables Pakistani parties to set aside political differences and reach consensus about the imperative of CPEC development
Donation of medical supplies through party channel
The actual practices of party-based diplomacy have gone beyond just party. It has now engaged in multiple fronts. As Covid-19 is wreaking havoc across the world and dealing a blow to Pakistan, the CPC has donated two batches of medical supplies to Pakistan. Not only political parties, but also governmental departments, think tanks, media and individuals are beneficiaries of the donation organized by IDCPC through party channel.
Minister Song Tao’s visit to Pakistan
International Department played an important role in ensuring continuity of bilateral relations when there was a change of government in foreign countries. In October 2018, two months after PTI won the Pakistani general election, IDCPC Minister Song Tao paid a visit to Pakistan and met with the newly elected Prime Minister and President of PTI Imran Khan.
An MoU was signed to promote inter-party relations during this visit. In return, Prime Minister Imran Khan visited China at early November and met with Minister Song Tao in Beijing.
