A comment on Pakistan by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning (February 19, 2024)  was quite instructive. China said the spokesperson, sincerely hopes that relevant parties of Pakistan will work together to uphold political solidarity and social stability.

The measured comment came over ten days after the elections in Pakistan on the heels of allegations of rigging in the polling. The emphasis of the statement, one can discern, is on inclusive governance as a pre-requisite for  “political solidarity and social stability.”

“As a close and friendly neighbor, China fully respects the choice of the Pakistani people and sincerely hopes that relevant parties of Pakistan will work together to uphold political solidarity and social stability after the elections and jointly open up a brighter future for the development of the country,” Spokesperson Mao Ning said.

China hopes to work with Pakistan to build on the traditional friendship, deepen practical cooperation in various areas, and accelerate the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries, Mao Ning said when asked how China viewed the elections in Pakistan.

Officials in Beijing often insist that they have no favorites in any country. We work with nations and not individuals, they say. They also speak of the need for a collaborative and inclusive governance for internal peace and economic progress, advice that has accompanied Chinese diplomacy, particularly since the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).