Pakistan Embassy To Organise Puppet Show To Celebrate 70th Anniversary Of Diplomatic Relations With China

To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with China, Pakistan’s Embassy in Beijing will organise a puppet show on the World Puppetry Day celebrated on 21 March every year.

The news left Indian netzines amused as Pakistan’s “higher than mountains, deeper than the ocean, stronger than steel and sweeter than honey” relationship with China has always been interpreted as one that exists between a powerful state and a vassal/client state, with Islamabad playing the latter.

“Quite apt and symbolic,” one Twitter user wrote, reacting to the news.

“Damn I thought you were kidding,” wrote another, sharing the news.

Pakistan has, over the years, aligned its position on various critical issues with positions taken by the Chinese Communist Party. It has come out in China’s defence when Beijing has faced international criticism. Most recently, the Islamic Republic defended Beijing, its closest economic and military partner, when the latter was criticised for the ill-treatment of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang.

Celebrations for the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations were launched on 2 March by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.