Tehmina Janjua, former Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, has come across many Chinese diplomats and experts during her 35 years of service with the Pakistan Foreign Office and has thus developed a deeper understanding of China and the Chinese government.

Recently, Tehmina Janjua granted an exclusive interview to the Southern Metropolis Daily. According to Janjua, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has long been a model to study for developing countries because it has successfully addressed complex political theory and practice issues that many societies are still grappling with.

Southern Metropolis Daily: What do you think of China's development achievements?

Tehmina Janjua: China has made immeasurable progress in many areas. The lifting of more than 800 million people out of extreme poverty in a few decades is an achievement that is historically unprecedented and amazes us all.

The other remarkable achievement is the rapidity with which China is mastering and assimilating new technologies. China is poised to deploy and benefit from cutting-edge technologies, ranging from artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, and nanotechnology. It has historically been a source of breakthrough technologies, and in recent years, there has been a relentless focus on innovation.

Southern Metropolis Daily: What do you think of the CPC's leadership?

Tehmina Janjua: For people in developing countries, the CPC has long been a model to study. It has successfully addressed complex political theory and practice issues, with which many societies are still grappling.

How are people mobilized to achieve radical changes? How are deep-rooted contradictions to be analyzed and overcome? How are long-term plans to be established and implemented? How are policy adjustments made in the face of rapidly changing conditions? What structures are required to channel the people's energies towards ambitious developmental goals? These are just some of the crucial questions that developing countries face, and which the CPC has addressed with great success. And the results are apparent. They are evident in the phenomenal development that has taken place in China.

As for the future, I do not doubt that the CPC will ensure that China remains firmly on the trajectory of growth and prosperity. And I say this keeping in mind the rich intellectual traditions of the CPC, its extensive party structures that involve people in all corners of the country, and its profound ability to introspect and adapt to evolving situations.

Southern Metropolis Daily: In what areas do you think China and Pakistan can strengthen cooperation in the future?

Tehmina Janjua: Pakistan and China are strategic partners. We cooperate intensively in many areas, including economic, trade, security, health, environmental, agricultural, educational, and cultural. In the past year, we have been intensively cooperating on combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the coming years, my suggestion would be to intensify our cooperation in two broad areas – technology and culture. The economies of both our countries can only flourish if we can keep abreast of the latest technologies and use them to benefit our people. It would require collaborating on higher education, research, and development in priority areas and strengthening the institutions that underpin innovation.

Expanding cooperation in the cultural area is essential. We should strengthen ties between our two countries with more intense collaboration between our creative people – our writers, musicians, and artists. Also, the cultural industries of all nations – cinema, publishing, design, music, fashion – are becoming significant contributors to national economies.

Author: Weng Anqi，Yu Yijing，Xiang Xueni

English version: Nancy (intern), Monica

English Editors: Wing, Nan, Jerry