EditorialÂ
We’re living through a juncture in history we’ll never forget. The world is almost at lockdown with the virus as deadly and complex as COVID-19 has spread its wings across 192 countries with ever-rising infections and deaths.
While the new outbreak is Europe where Italy is the hardest hit at the moment, China has displayed an exceptional and extraordinary recovery. Recently President Xi Jinping has made his first trip to Wuhan, where the coronavirus outbreak started last year in December. President Xi’s visit to Wuhan was a symbolic landmark in the country’s battle against the coronavirus and signals to the world that the situation is under control now.
Chinese resilience and the strength of resolve have given confidence to the world that this virus can be fought back with effective implementation and rapid response systems. The World Health Organization (WHO) has appreciated the steps taken by the Chinese government and specifically the people of the country to undertake this entire epidemic. While China has recovered, Iran and Italy are suffering from mounting deaths and infections.
Iran is one of the hardest-hit counties worldwide by the virus as the official death toll is only behind Italy and China. Iran is already suffering heavily from the years of the economic sanctions as a result of the tussle between the US and Iran recently after the US withdrew from the nuclear deal and the death of General Qasem Soleimani. The country is unable to procure the badly needed medical supplies and equipment from the global markets resulting in the difficulties in combating the virus.
The virus was originated in the holy city of Qom in the latter half of February. The world needs to be more compassionate to those states facing acute difficulties wherein the health and economies are crippling. WHO Head has warned earlier that the countries with the least capable health systems are most at the risk, Pakistan is passing through its early warning stage where most of the officials and leaders are giving mixed responses to the growing pandemic.
As the world is preparing to witness this extraordinary outbreak, hopeful news is coming as people are also recovering from the disease. This is a unique time and needs unprecedented actions as well. Many governments around the world are closing the borders, shutting down their air transport and travel, putting huge restrictions on social gatherings, weddings, and concerts, and even shutting down schools, colleges and Universities.
Everything has to go online, especially educational institutions are making efforts to build portals for an online system of education for those missing out of school. The virus has also paralyzed the entire world in such a way that we have never seen anything like this ever before in our lifetimes. It is something new for our generation as we are learning to self-quarantine, social distancing, and practicing to work from home.
The situation is alarming, but there is hope as well. WHO has also announced that the first vaccine trial has just begun after 60 days of this outbreak, as the genetic sequence of the virus was shared by scientists from China. This is incredible news as researchers around the world work systematically in building collective research to find a cure.
In the midst of this storm, the President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi made a significant and important tour to China especially in the midst of the epidemic of COVID-19.  During the visit, the President of Pakistan received a stunning response from the people of China as this was the first-ever visit by any heads of state since the outbreak. This visit has again made the world realize the fact that friendship between China and Pakistan is genuinely all weather and will remain so in coming years and centuries.
President Arif Alvi also met President Xi Jinping and had a candid exchange on bilateral issues. Both heads of state also witnessed the signing of two memorandums of understanding and four letters of exchange at the Ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People. The documents were signed at the conclusion of a bilateral meeting between both leaders.
One MoU was on establishing a joint working group on science and technology and agriculture between Pakistan and China. This would lead to establishing two separate joint working groups, one on science and technology and the other on agriculture under the overall rubric of CPEC. The second MoU is between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China (MARA) and the Ministry of National Food Security and Research of Pakistan (NFS&R) on strengthening cooperation on plant and disease control.
This would help in monitoring and control of major pests and diseases and improve agricultural productivity. The visit and the exchange of letters, signing of MoUs are important steps in the direction towards building cooperation in all spheres as the CPEC has entered its second and most important phase wherein, apart from other areas, agriculture cooperation is important.
The Ironclad friendship between China and Pakistan will grow stronger and deeper. President of Pakistan’s visit will inject even stronger impetus into the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.
The Diplomatic Insight is a digital and print magazine focusing on diplomacy, defense, and development publishing since 2009.
