Ansar Mahmood Bhatti
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday termed Pakistan-China relations as “excellent” and reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to further strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries, saying that the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was progressing in full swing and would provide a major boost to Pakistan’s economic development.
Addressing a ceremony held to mark the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the prime minister said the Pakistan-China friendship had stood the test of time and remained a shining example of mutual trust, cooperation and shared prosperity.
He described China as Pakistan’s “iron brother” and paid glowing tribute to Chinese President Xi Jinping for his visionary leadership, under which China had achieved remarkable economic and technological progress.
“China is progressing by leaps and bounds in every field and has emerged as a global economic powerhouse,” the prime minister said. He congratulated President Xi, the Chinese government and people on the national day celebrations.
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to President Xi Jinping, the government and the people of China on this historic occasion,” he added.
Highlighting the significance of CPEC, Shehbaz Sharif said the flagship Belt and Road Initiative project had transformed Pakistan’s infrastructure landscape and brought prosperity to the country. He said CPEC symbolized the enduring partnership between the two nations and was entering a new phase focused on industrialization, agriculture, information technology, science, energy cooperation and the development of Gwadar as a regional trade hub.
The prime minister expressed optimism that CPEC Phase-II would accelerate industrial growth, create employment opportunities and strengthen Pakistan’s economic foundations.
“We are committed to working closely with China to realize our shared vision of development and prosperity,” he said.
The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, federal ministers, diplomats and senior government officials.
Earlier, Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong said Pakistan and China were celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, describing the milestone as a testament to the enduring strength of the bilateral relationship.
He said the two countries remained “all-weather strategic cooperative partners” and continued to support each other on issues of core national interest.
The ambassador expressed satisfaction over Pakistan’s improving economic situation and praised the government’s efforts to stabilize the economy. He also lauded Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting regional peace and stability.
Jiang said the longstanding friendship between the two countries had grown stronger with the passage of time and would continue to deepen in the years ahead through enhanced cooperation in trade, investment, technology and people-to-people exchanges.
The ceremony concluded with renewed pledges from both sides to further expand bilateral cooperation and strengthen the historic Pakistan-China friendship.
