ISLAMABAD, MAR 23 /DNA/ – The inauguration ceremony of the “Esthetic Bridges” exhibition took place today, celebrating the artistic collaboration between China and Pakistan. The exhibition not only showcases the rich cultural heritage of both nations but also fosters deeper artistic dialogue.
Emphasizing cultural exchange, a representative highlighted President Xi Jinping’s Global Civilization Initiative, which promotes mutual learning and appreciation among civilizations. The event underscores China and Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening ties through shared artistic expression, enriching the global cultural landscape.
Today is Pakistan’s National Day, and we extend our warmest congratulations to our Pakistani brothers and sisters! This reminds me of the same day last year when I had the honor of being invited to attend the National Day parade, witnessing the moment when the guard of honorof the Chinese People’s Liberation Army marched in, and the entire audience of Pakistani spectators spontaneously stood up and applauded warmly, and announcer called in Chinese, “Zhong-Ba Youyi Wansui” (Chin-Pak Dosti Zindabad, Longlive China-Pakistan Friendship) After the event, many Pakistani friends enthusiastically greeted me in Chinese with “Ni Hao”,among them many are adorable children. At that moment, I deeply felt the warmth of the China-Pakistan friendship taking root, sprouting, and growing among younger generation, and I became even more convinced that our two countries must stand firmly together, hand in hand, to create a bright future for our respective nations’development and our friendly cooperation.
We stand firmly together, continuing and passing down the traditional friendship between China and Pakistan. On this day 85 years ago, the resolution to establish an independent Muslim country was adopted, marking the beginning of the Pakistani people’s great journey towards development and prosperity. Since the establishment of diplomaticrelationsbetween Chin and Pakistan in 1951, we have always stood together and supported each other through thick and thin. From then, Pakistan was the first Islamic country to recognize the People’s Republic of China; starting in 1966, China helped Pakistan build the Karakoram Highway, hailed as the “Eighth Wonder of the World”;during the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, China witnessed the touching story of Pakistan’s all-out assistance with tents;in 2010 and 2022, Pakistan receivedfull support from all sectors of Chinese society in fighting floods. The traditional friendship between China and Pakistan has been continuously consolidated and elevated as we move forward together. This ironclad friendship, “higher than the mountains, deeper than the sea, and sweeter than honey” has taken root, flourished, and will surely be passed down through generations and remain steady and enduring.
We stand firmly together, committed to creating miracles of development. As the founding father of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, once said, “We are not afraid of the deep sea or the fire, because we believe in the sun and the future”. For 85 years, the brotherly people of Pakistan have proactively pursued the great dream of building a strong and prosperous nation. From the 1960s to the present, while the Pakistani population has grown from 46 million to more than 240 million, Pakistan’s GDP has increased from less than $19 billion to nearly $400 billion. Currently, the Pakistani governmentis advancing its reform agenda in full force, stabilizing and improving the economy, achieving growth in both exports and investments, reaching new highs in foreign reserves and remittances, with an expectedGDP growth of more than3%. Over the past 11 years, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has made significant contributions to strengthening Pakistan’s development foundation and improving the well-being of Pakistani people. As Chinese modernization advances comprehensively and the concept of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind gains widespread support, we are ready to continue providing new opportunities for the development of our ironclad friend Pakistan through the new achievements of Chinese modernization.
We stand firmly together, jointly facing the changing times. As early as the 1930s, the great Pakistani poet Muhammad Iqbal wrote the lines, “the Chinese people are waking up from their sleep and the spring of Mount Himalaya is bursting”, enthusiastically supporting and echoing the Chinese people’s struggle for national independence and against foreign aggression. We will not forget that Pakistan was not only the first Islamic country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China but also stood up and supported China at critical moments such as the restoration of China’s lawful seat in the United Nations. Similarly, when Pakistan is in need, China has always been a strong backing for Pakistan. We firmly support Pakistan in safeguarding its national sovereignty and territorial integrity, in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, in resolutely combating terrorism, and in playing a greater role in international and regional affairs. Faced with the current turbulent international and regional situation, we will, as always, enhance solidarity and collaboration with Pakistan to safeguard the fundamental interests of both countries and international fairness and justice, and jointly promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally-beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.
We stand firmly together, hand in hand, to create a brighter tomorrow. In 2015, President Xi Jinping’s historic state visit to Pakistan elevated our bilateral relationship to All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership, opening a new chapter in China-Pakistan relations. Since the establishment of the current Pakistani government a year ago, we have maintained close high-level exchanges. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited China in last June;Premier Li Qiang visited Pakistan in last October; President Zardarivisited China this February, all these visits fully demonstrated the closeness of our ironclad friendship and the high level of all-weather strategic cooperation. Under the care and promotion of the leaders of both countries, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has entered a new phase of building an “upgraded version”, providing new opportunities for high-quality development of practical cooperation between the two countries. Let us join hands and shoulders, while guided by the important consensus reached between our national leaders,to focus on building aneven closer China-Pakistan Community with a Shared Future in the New Era, and continuously consolidate, deepen and expand the all-weather strategic cooperation between China and Pakistan, to jointly creating a brighter future for China-Pakistan friendship!
In the end, I wish the “Esthetic Bridges” exhibition a resounding success, and extend my festive greetings to our Pakistani friends on this joyous occasion! May China and Pakistan enjoy continued prosperity, and the China-Pakistan friendship flourish for generations to come!
