I was deeply touched by one of the remarks of the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in his address to the joint session of Pakistans parliament. By reminding the elite gathering of the countrys leadership that a friend close by is more dependable than a friend faraway he gave a subtle but clear message to the audience. I am sure that I am not the only one who was pained by the remark. It conveyed a sense of disappointment which the Chinese leadership must have felt over the past few years due to the tilt of our policies away from and to the detriment of China.
The remark also carried a sense of reassurance from the top leadership of China that if relied upon, their time-tested friendship with Pakistan can be more productive as compared to any distant support. I was also disappointed that this friendly request of the Chinese premier for reappraisal of our policies towards China was only mildly covered in our media.
Syed Imran Ali
Rawalpindi
