Looking back at 1963, one of the secrets of the China-Pakistan border demarcation period - Ambassador Geng Biao's operation, one cannot help but feel deep feelings. Behind this is a geopolitical wrestling, but also a contest of wisdom and courage.
Before talking about the demarcation of the border between China and Pakistan in 1963, we have to start with 1953, when Geng Biao was appointed Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, his first appointment as ambassador abroad. At that time, China was facing severe challenges in the international environment, Western countries were generally wary of the newly established People's Republic, and the competition between the two camps of the United States and the Soviet Union made the global political landscape tense and abnormal. Against this backdrop, China urgently needs to break the blockade of the West and find international friends and partners.
Pakistan, a newly independent country, is strategically located next to China's southwestern border and serves as a bridge to the Middle East. It can be described as an "important pawn" in geopolitics. At that time, Pakistan had recognized China in 1951, but due to British influence and its complicated relationship with India, the relationship between China and Pakistan was not fully established.
In 1963, the border issue between China and Pakistan gradually became an important issue in the relations between the two countries. At that time, the boundaries were very blurred, and many of the disputed areas needed to be clearly demarcated. In this year, Geng Biao made a bold proposal - to return the Kanjuti area to the Pakistani side. What appears to be a simple territorial transfer is in fact a well-thought-out diplomatic strategy.
This move has effectively brought relations between China and Pakistan closer. At that time, Pakistan was in the midst of tense relations with India, and the friendly cooperation between China and Pakistan undoubtedly gave Pakistan a strong diplomatic support. This generous diplomatic gesture has also greatly enhanced China's image in the international community. In the context of the Cold War, China has demonstrated its strength, and more importantly, it is a sense of responsibility and responsibility as a major country.
Geng Biao's strategy solved the practical problems of the border and, more importantly, laid the foundation for a series of in-depth cooperation such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. It can be said that without this series of well-thought-out diplomatic arrangements, the subsequent China-Pakistan relations may not be what they are now.
On a larger scale, Geng Biao's measures are also part of New China's opening-up policy. In the face of the blockade by the West, China needs to open a new window of international cooperation through concrete actions, and neighboring Asian countries are undoubtedly the preferred partners. Through friendly interaction with Pakistan and other countries, China has won political allies and gradually opened up new prospects in economic and cultural exchanges.
Geng's diplomatic actions are not limited to China-Pakistan relations. In fact, throughout his diplomatic career, whether in Sweden or later in Pakistan, he showed a new style of Chinese diplomacy. In Sweden in particular, Geng Biao used his military exploits and wisdom to successfully create a positive image of China in the Western world, which was an important diplomatic breakthrough for China, which was isolated at that time.
Returning to China-Pakistan relations, the return of Kanjuti is not a simple exchange of territory, but a manifestation of deep-seated trust and commitment. This decision-making, based on mutual interests and long-term strategic considerations, has laid a solid foundation for future cooperation between the two countries. The success of all this is also inseparable from the guiding ideology behind Geng Biao - the strategic deployment of Chairman Mao and Premier Zhou.
This kind of far-reaching strategic vision and precise execution were one of the most valuable assets in the early days of New China's diplomacy. The efforts of Geng Biao and his colleagues won China international respect and provided invaluable diplomatic support for its subsequent economic development and international cooperation.
By 2015, when China completed the construction of Pakistan's Gwadar port and acquired the right to operate the port, it was clear that this early diplomatic setup had played a huge role. The success of Gwadar Port is not only a success of business investment, but also a microcosm of the long-term friendly relations and mutual support between China and Pakistan.
Ambassador Geng Biao's series of diplomatic actions in 1963 show us the far-reaching impact of the diplomatic strategy of a major power. From the return of Kandjuti to the construction of the Gwadar port, this series of events has deepened the friendship between China and Pakistan and made great contributions to the enhancement of China's status on the international stage. And this is all based on a well-thought-out and well-planned foreign policy. Looking back at history, it is not difficult for us to find that a true master of diplomacy must not only have foresight, but also have the wisdom and courage to seek cooperation and win-win results in a complex international landscape.