Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday that all the endeavours and initiatives of the current government of Pakistan closely aligned with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s vision and philosophy that were anchored in progress and prosperity of the Chinese nation.
PM Shehbaz arrived in China yesterday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) two-day Council of Heads of State (CHS) summit. He is set to meet with Xi and Premier Li Qiang, according to the Foreign Office (FO).
Addressing students and faculty members of Tianjin University today, the premier urged the Pakistani students currently studying there to gain the latest knowledge and technology with sheer commitment and hard work.
In his address, which was also broadcast on national TV channels, the prime minister said that Pakistan fully supported President Xi’s philosophy and vision.
He noted that the Chinese leadership had “inspiring” strategic long-term planning for the progress of the country while keeping the welfare of its people at heart.
“President Xi’s visionary leadership conveyed to the entire globe that long-lasting friendship could be achieved through multilateralism and not through unilateralism, while shared progress and prosperity could be conceived through joint teams’ work and not through exclusive rights,” PM Shehbaz added.
Members of the prime minister’s delegation, ambassadors, and officials were also present on the occasion.
The premier also mentioned that taking 800 million people out of poverty had been the most towering achievement of China, which was made possible due to the historic transformation under President Xi’s visionary leadership. He hailed the Chinese president’s commitment to the welfare of his people and to building a shared destiny and future.
PM Shehbaz highlighted that the enduring friendship between the two nations not only stood the tests of time but faced enormous challenges of history.
“It withstands owing to commitment and clear vision in our minds; together to find a shared destiny,” he said, adding that all the designs to keep these two great friendly countries were defeated by their united actions and clear understanding.
The prime minister said the Pak-China time-tested friendship was built by their elder generations through unwavering commitment, honesty and unbelievable sincerity, thus “laying the foundation of a friendship to stand on pillars of mutual trust”.
He asserted that the friendship between the two nations would last forever, no matter what challenges came in their way. He noted that their ties were as old as the Silk Road, and as profound as the religious ties between Gandhara, Taxila and Beijing.
He enumerated the historical facts that forged stronger ties, including Pakistan being the first Muslim country to recognise the People’s Republic of China and PIA’s first direct flight from Karachi to Beijing about 60 years ago.
The prime minister lauded that owing to their hard work, sincerity and untiring efforts, the Chinese leadership and its people had transformed the country into the second-largest economy and military powerhouse in the world, adding that Pakistan felt pride over the achievement of its friend.
PM Shehbaz asserted that the incumbent government in Pakistan was also committed to eradicating corruption and poverty, and went on to claim that “not a single corruption case had emerged” during the current government’s tenure.
“We have a shared destiny with China and should learn from the knowledge imparted by the Chinese universities to bring economic [and] agricultural prosperity to the people of Pakistan,” he said.
The prime minister expressed his satisfaction that more than 200 individuals from various parts of Pakistan were studying at Tianjin University. He called on them to utilise their expertise in Pakistan for the welfare, progress and prosperity of their people.
Noting that the university was regarded as “a cradle of great learning” and terming students as ambassadors of Pakistan, the premier expressed the optimism that, owing to their hard work and dedication, they would return to Pakistan as architects for their future.
“Above all, you are the torch bearers of Pakistan-China friendship,” PM Shehbaz highlighted.
The prime minister said the students would become great experts and serve as helping hands not only in China’s progress but also for the well-being and progress of Pakistan.
He observed that about 60 per cent of the population in Pakistan comprised the youth, “which is a huge challenge”, and stressed that they should reap the demographic dividends to unlock this potential and chart new horizons in collaboration with China.
The prime minister noted that the government had sent 1,000 agriculture graduates from Pakistan to China to learn modern techniques. Moreover, about 30,000 students from Pakistan had been getting education and training in China.
He also termed vocational training as critical in building and training the youth in different parts of Pakistan. The prime minister also fondly recalled his memories of his visit to the university in 2017.
PM Shehbaz, Turkiye’s Erdogan meet on the sidelines
On the sidelines of the summit, PM Shehbaz reviewed bilateral relations with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and expressed satisfaction with the ties between Islamabad and Ankara, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.
“They noted with appreciation the steady increase in high-level exchanges and cooperation across a broad spectrum, including political, economic, defence and security domains,” APP added.
The Turkish president offered his condolences to the PM over the loss of life and property amid the ongoing floods ravaging various parts of Pakistan.
Erdogan “expressed his country’s solidarity with the people of Pakistan and said that the government and people of Turkiye stood shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan in this hour of need”, APP reported.
The pair discussed regional developments and also expressed grave concern
Shehbaz to attend SCO, meet with Xi
PM Shehbaz is leading a delegation from Pakistan to participate in the SCO summit. The SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus. Another 16 countries are affiliated as observers or “dialogue partners”.
Leaders from Mongolia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkiye, Egypt, the Maldives, Myanmar and others, as well as the chief of the United Nations and heads of various regional and international organisations, will also attend as part of the expanded format.
PM Shehbaz is slated to reaffirm Pakistan’s commitment to promoting multilateralism, enhancing regional security and advancing sustainable development, the FO said in a statement earlier. He is also expected to have bilateral meetings with other SCO leaders and invited members to “strengthen diplomatic relations”.
The prime minister would also hold meetings with President Xi and Premier Li Qiang “during which multifaceted dimensions of Pakistan-China bilateral cooperation would be discussed”, according to the FO.
“He would also attend the military parade with President Xi and other world leaders being held in Beijing to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the World’s Anti-Fascist War,” the FO added.
PM Shehbaz, as per the statement, would “interact with reputed Chinese businessmen and corporate executives to discuss bilateral trade, economic and investment ties”. He would also address a Pakistan-China B2B Investment Conference in Beijing.
The statement highlighted that the visit was a part of leadership-level exchanges between the two countries.
“It manifests the importance attached by the two countries to further deepen their All Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership, reaffirm support on issues of respective core interests, advance Phase-II of CPEC and maintain regular communication on important regional and global developments,” FO said.
Last week, the government said that PM Shehbaz’s visit to China will mark the formal launch of the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC-II), focused on industrial cooperation, after a delay of about five years.
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