ISLAMABAD: Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong on Wednesday made it clear that the One-China policy is the cornerstone of China’s state policy and that Beijing will not tolerate any force seeking to split Taiwan from China.
Addressing participants at the 9th CPEC Media Forum, Ambassador Jiang strongly criticised the Japanese prime minister’s claim regarding the possible use of military force to stop Taiwan’s integration with China.
He said Japanese forces have never expressed regret or apologised for their military aggression against China, adding that the situation demands all countries firmly oppose Japanese threats on the Taiwan issue in line with their commitment to the One-China policy.
“I would like to express gratitude to Pakistan for its continued support for China’s territorial sovereignty and integrity. As all-weather strategic partners, China and Pakistan will always stand shoulder to shoulder to safeguard each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the envoy said.
Recalling that the CPEC Media Forum was launched in 2015 alongside the development of CPEC following President Xi Jinping’s historic visit to Pakistan, Ambassador Jiang said continued high-level exchanges have renewed consensus to advance the all-weather partnership and develop CPEC into a comprehensive, multi-sectoral flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative.
He praised the role of media in countering distortions, saying there are “two powers in the world — the sword and the pen,” and commended journalists for turning the pen into a sword by responding to allegations with facts.
Speaking about CPEC 2.0, he outlined three priority areas — agriculture, mining and industry — and highlighted industrial cooperation and livelihood-oriented projects, including investments in manufacturing and textile parks that would generate large-scale employment. He said future cooperation would focus on export-oriented initiatives and projects benefiting people’s livelihoods, alongside continued collaboration in infrastructure, Gwadar connectivity, and social-sector development, including healthcare and training.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan’s relationship with China is unique, noting that while many countries claim close ties, “no other country can say it has iron brothers or sisters.” Tracing his personal association with Pakistan-China exchanges as a student, bureaucrat, and now minister, he described himself as a product of bilateral exchange programmes.
He said CPEC represents not only economic development but also cultural transformation, helping break language barriers and divisions. Emphasising the need for effective narrative-building, he warned that misinformation has emerged as one of the biggest global challenges.
Highlighting digital reforms, he said platforms such as Digital Pakistan TV are being developed to strengthen Pakistan’s digital footprint. He proposed the creation of a fact-check forum or platform under the Pakistan-China Institute to counter fake news and disinformation related to CPEC, suggesting support from both the government and the Chinese Embassy.
Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman of the Pakistan-China Institute, termed Pakistan-China relations the “pivot” of Pakistan’s foreign policy and warned that fake news, disinformation and misinformation pose serious strategic challenges. Referring to the EU DisinfoLab’s “India Chronicles” investigation, he said hostile forces unhappy with Pakistan-China cooperation were actively engaged in information warfare.
He said 2026, marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties, should be celebrated jointly as a milestone in deepening the all-encompassing bilateral relationship, supported by a five-year joint action plan covering seven areas, including media and people-to-people exchanges.
Minister of State for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr Shezra Mansab Ali Kharal, sharing reflections from her recent visit to China as a Dong Feng Scholar, said China’s approach emphasises cooperation, peace and development rather than confrontation. She described Pakistan-China ties as a deep, trust-based all-weather strategic partnership and called for a joint media mechanism to immediately counter disinformation and fake news, particularly in the context of CPEC Phase 2 and climate cooperation.
