This year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. From May 23 to 26, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid an official visit to China. Reflecting on this important milestone, Dr. Muhammad Khalil Khan, Associate Professor at NingboTech University and Director of the university’s Belt and Road International Communication Research Center, shared his thoughts during a recent interview.
“The Prime Minister’s visit to China once again proves what President Xi has said, that the friendship between China and Pakistan has always been as solid as a rock and unbreakable,” Dr. Khan remarked.
Behind this statement lies the lived experience of a Pakistani scholar who has spent more than a decade in China and developed a deeply personal understanding of the relationship between the two countries.
Understanding China Through Field Research
As a long-time researcher of the Belt and Road Initiative, Dr. Khan’s work extends well beyond classrooms and conference halls. Over the years, he has carried out extensive field research, particularly focusing on China’s rural revitalization efforts.
“Whenever I visit rural areas for research, I always speak with local residents,” he recalled. “What impressed me most is that these places have not lost their cultural identity because of modernization. Instead, I witnessed coexistence. Traditional culture continues to be respected, while modern lifestyles have also become part of daily life.”
During his research on China’s “Thousand Villages Demonstration and Ten Thousand Villages Renovation” project, Dr. Khan observed not only visible improvements such as enhanced public services and advances in agricultural technology, but also deeper structural changes. These included the return of young entrepreneurs to their hometowns, the rise of rural tourism, and the gradual implementation of digital governance.
“In many discussions about modernization, people focus only on cities,” he explained. “But what makes China unique is that it has brought rural areas into the modernization process without erasing the roots of local culture.”
For this reason, Dr. Khan believes that understanding China solely through its urban development presents an incomplete picture. In his view, rural revitalization offers a broader and more multidimensional understanding of the country.
“I feel very proud to be part of China’s process,” he added.
From a Newcomer to a Familiar Face in China
After living and working in Ningbo for more than ten years, Dr. Khan says his sense of belonging has emerged through the simple realities of everyday life rather than through grand narratives.
When he first arrived in China, he had to adapt to differences in language, food, and culture. Over time, however, those differences gradually faded through daily interactions and shared experiences.
“Now many people can even call me by my Chinese name, ‘Kehan,’” he said with a smile. “On the streets and on campus, people naturally address me that way.”
For Dr. Khan, this feeling of being naturally accepted carries far greater meaning than any formal recognition.
“When you realize that people no longer see you as a foreigner, but as part of the community, that feeling of belonging becomes very real,” he explained.
He further noted that these social interactions form the foundation of the close people-to-people ties between China and Pakistan. While diplomacy provides the framework for state relations, everyday respect and acceptance strengthen that framework through genuine human connection.
CPEC and the Shift Toward High Quality Development
As a scholar of the Belt and Road Initiative, Dr. Khan has closely followed the development of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). In his view, after years of progress, CPEC is transitioning from its early “1.0 phase,” which focused on infrastructure construction, into a “2.0 phase” centered on industrial upgrading and sustainable development.
“CPEC 1.0 addressed fundamental issues such as roads, electricity, and transportation connectivity,” he explained. “But in the 2.0 phase, the key questions are how to create more jobs, how to improve the quality of development, and how to make economic growth more self-sustaining.”
According to Dr. Khan, this transformation is not only economic but also social in nature. Its impact is especially visible among young people. As industrial parks, energy projects, and innovation partnerships continue to expand, more young Pakistanis are gaining access to new career opportunities and cross-border exchanges.
Building Bridges Through Mutual Understanding
For Dr. Khan, his role in China has gradually evolved beyond that of a scholar. He now sees himself as a bridge between cultures. His daily work includes not only academic research but also helping Pakistani students adapt to life in China, understand social norms, and build trust through intercultural communication.
“We need to help young people from different countries integrate into each other’s societies,” he said. “Teaching them how to communicate, how to understand differences, and how to build mutual respect is more important than any single piece of knowledge.”
In his view, this ongoing intercultural engagement forms the strongest social foundation of China Pakistan relations.
“Through this friendship, we can move toward a more prosperous and harmonious future,” he said.
On a broader level, Dr. Khan emphasized that this friendship is not one-sided. It is shaped both by the openness and inclusiveness of Chinese society and by the understanding and participation of the Pakistani people. Through this continuous two-way exchange, the unbreakable friendship between the two countries gradually transforms into a tangible and sustainable reality.
Established in December 2008, The Diplomatic Insight is Pakistan’s premier diplomacy and foreign affairs magazine, available in both digital and print formats.
