Sino-Pak friendship is 67-years old, three years less than the independence period of the latter, and the two countries admire it at all forums. There are many hallmarks that signify the cordial ties between the two nations and among them is the Islamabad-based Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Sports Complex.

The Chinese engineers worked day and night to complete the sports complex ahead of time as it was scheduled to serve as the venue for the 1978 Asian Games at the time. Unfortunately, the Games were relocated to the Thai capital Bangkok.

Later, the 20-nation seventh Asian Table Tennis Championship marked the formal opening of the sports complex – Jinnah Stadium and Liaquat Gymnasium- in Islamabad in 1984. Todate, there are so many nations which have not featured in any discipline at the venue.

It will be relevant to note that Chinese table tennis coach Yao Zhen Xu spent three years from 1975 to 1977 in Pakistan and groomed a batch of over 100 players which resulted in lifting the team to best-ever sixth spot in Asia and ahead of India in the men’s team event. A basketball coach also visited the country and polished the skills of players.

Besides Yao, other Chinese coaches used to visit the country frequently which immensely helped Pakistan to scale new heights in sports globally. The Chinese teams have also participated in Pakistan National Games and even in the national hockey championship at one time.

As the work on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is in full swing, the government is handing over to Chinese firms quite a few such departments who have virtually failed to rescue themselves.

Recently, the Chinese have started lifting the garbage in the city. Similarly, the Chinese firm has inked a deal with Abraaj to take over $1.77bn stakes in the K-Electric. According to reported figures, approximately some 700 Chinese companies are working in Pakistan these days.

Olympic sports have nose-dived in Pakistan for quarter-of-a-century now, primarily due to bad governance and lack of interest of athletes.

It is imperative to streamline the system, training of athletes forthwith for a better tomorrow. Why can’t we use the services of the Chinese to resurrect Pakistan sports?

Those who matters in the corridors of power – the IPC and the PSB – together with the POA -should give it a serious thought and devise some strategy like sending sportspersons to China in groups for training and coaching, inviting Chinese experts to hold camps besides extending the invitation to compete in National Games among other things.

Experts in the field of sports suggests that China should also be asked to set up sports goods manufacturing plant in Pakistan at Sialkot, on the CPEC route or elsewhere by bringing their latest technology here.

Chinese equipments are highly developed and are always in demand globally. This can help Pakistan to a great extent and there will be no need to import any from abroad.

The Pakistan Table Tennis Federation (PTTF) had to surrender an excellent opportunity recently offered by leading global sports good manufacturer Nittaku under the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) social development programme in collaboration with The Citizens Foundation which envisaged Rs10 million equipments since there was no exemption of heavy duty and the sales tax, the PTTF president S. M. Sibtain told Dawn.

It is pertinent to mention that China is considered as world powerhouse in sports and reached the zenith by surpassing the US in the gold medal count at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2017