- New DCM Ms Pang says she will pick up thread where Zhao left
ISLAMABAD – A farewell reception was held at a local hotel on Thursday to pay tributes to Chinese Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) and Minister Consular Lijian Zhao. A galaxy of people from all walks of life gathered to say Zàijiàn (goodbye) to Zhao. Federal Ministers, Secretaries, politicians, officials, scholars, media, etc. attended the reception. Zhao also introduced Ms. Pang Chunxue, who is going to replace him as new DCM and Minister Consular of the Chinese Embassy.
Over the past four years, Zhao has proved to be one of the most active, vocal and dynamic diplomats from the Chinese Embassy. His four-year tenure has come to an end. Zhao had served from 1999 to 2013 in Islamabad. Altogether, he served eight and a half years in Pakistan. He became the first Chinese diplomat in Islamabad who effectively used social media site Twitter to explain things about China, Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects and Pak-China relations and became a household name in Pakistan.
Lijian Zhao, a diplomat par excellence, was initially tasked to oversee and push the implementation of China’s strategic initiative of CPEC – a multibillion dollar project that brought a new specter of foreign investment in Pakistan. Lijian Zhao not only pushed the CPEC implementation but also defended China’s core interests at official forums, print and social media.
Whether it was dealing with the bureaucratic hurdles, implementation bottlenecks or issues cropping up due to change in the government in Islamabad, Ambassador Yao Jing and Lijian Zhao were always active to help resolve the issues.
Under guidance of Ambassador Yao Jing, Lijian Zhao formed Beijing’s dream team ever in Islamabad to pursue China’s interests. His media team included Political Consular Jiang Han, Director Political and Press Affairs Ms Bao Zhong and Press Attaché Yang Ming. In wake of negative media targeting CPEC, Zhao single-handedly focused on social media and teamed up with young Pakistani students and volunteers to defend and promote CPEC and Sino-Pakistan friendship.
Lijian Zhao took office soon after President Xi Jinping inaugurated CPEC in year 2015. Since then, Zhao made his presence felt by all and sundry. Unlike traditional Chinese diplomats, Lijian Zhao used social media not only to protect the Chinese interests but also to clarify facts to counter the negative propaganda about CPEC.
Unlike other diplomats, Zhao effectively used Twitter, to further the Chinese position on issues like CPEC, Xinjiang, South China Sea, Hong Kong, etc. Though he signed up to Twitter back in May 2010, Zhao began to be active about one year after he arrived in Pakistan. He has effectively employed Twiplomacy (using Twitter for diplomacy) by attracted 198,000 followers. In less than 3 years, Zhao has made over 50,000 tweets and retweets, and liked 100,000 tweets. He has become China’s most active diplomat on an overseas social media and successfully used Twitter to counter anti-China narrative.
Zhao has led from the front to effectively counter anti-China propaganda on print and electronic media in Pakistan and the world. Whether it was western route controversy or equating CPEC with ‘East India Company’, Lijian Zhao effectively nailed the negative jargon well.
Another issue which cropped up recently was the ‘Chinese Debt Trap’ hoopla aimed at harming the CPEC, but Ambassador Yao Jing and Lijian Zhao pinned it down by bringing facts through mainstream and social media. The latest case was the Xinjiang issue which time and again props up through western media but Chinese embassy has skillfully defended it too.
Over the years, Lijian Zhao has galvanised thousands of young Pakistani Twitter users who joined forces with him to further Pakistan, China friendship. Zhao recently tweeted that his posting to Islamabad is coming to an end, which triggered thousands of messages to his Twitter feed, full of praise for China’s iron-brother relationship with Pakistan and the country’s Belt and Road Initiative.
“I will miss Pakistan forever, as this is my second home,” he tweeted. “I think Pakistan is the best posting for Chinese diplomats.”
Zhao’s Twitter feed has been full of warm wishes from mostly Pakistan-based users, with some tweets including pictures of a farewell dinner for him.
“You are a great friend of Pakistan and were an important member of the team that successfully steered Phase 1 of CPEC,” Ahsan Iqbal, the former minister for planning, development and reforms of Pakistan, tweeted.
Talking to DiploMag on the eve of the farewell ceremony, Zhao Lijian said that in past four years, he has found new comrades among Pakistani youngsters who have become new friends of China and Pakistan. He said the past four years were most fruitful in Pakistan, China relations as President Xi, Premier Li Keqiang and other high level visits took place and the Pakistan, China transformed into a vibrant relationship.
“In past four years, we witnessed transformation in bilateral ties as we have been able to push the CPEC forward. We have completed first energy plant with local coal while Multan-Sukkhur highway project also was completed. Media, scholars also helped to take CPEC forward and I found out that 99 percent Pakistanis support China, Pakistan relationship and the CPEC,” he added.
The new DCM Ms. Pang Chunxue said that it’s an honour for her to serve in Pakistan as its her second home.
Ms Pang has a unique service record and served in Pakistan from 1998 to 2000. She also served as DCM in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. Hence, Ms Pang is well versed with the job at hand. Addressing the audience, New DCM Ms Pang said she will pick up thread where Zhao left. Though Zhao is departing for Beijing headquarters, it’s heartening to note that he is leaving behind a legacy of CPEC and Twitter diplomacy and is being replaced by another friend of Pakistan.
Paying tributes, Mushahid Hussain Sayed said Zhao Lijian has done a great service to China, Pakistan relations. “We together will ensure that CPEC is promoted and protected,” he added. Former Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal specially came to say goodbye to Zhao Lijian.
