Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday that his country will learn from China’s experience to eradicate poverty and enhance exports to increase foreign exchange reserves, the Prime Minister’s Office said. In a meeting held in his office, Sharif said that China’s success in lifting more than 700 million people out of poverty serves as a role model for Pakistan, the office said in a statement. He added that Pakistan wants to benefit from China’s experiences in increasing exports which will act as a major step to increase foreign exchange reserves and decrease poverty. “Pakistan and China share longstanding and deep brotherly relations which are strengthening over time,” he said, adding that China has always helped Pakistan in difficult times, for which he, along with the entire nation, is grateful to the Chinese leadership and people. The prime minister encouraged Chinese companies to set up industries in Special Economic Zones being established under the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Launched in 2013, CPEC, a flagship project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, is a corridor linking Gwadar Port in southwest Pakistan’s Balochistan province with Kashgar in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which highlights energy, transport and industrial cooperation. The prime minister said thorough preparations are being made for CPEC’s new phase and its successful initiation will further strengthen economic relations between Pakistan and China. The prime minister emphasized that Pakistan, being an agricultural country, is committed to adopting the modern techniques and technology of China in agriculture to increase productivity. He also invited Chinese companies to set up plants for electric and hybrid vehicles in Pakistan to help the country achieve the goal of shifting to electric vehicles in the transportation sector to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Separately, Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed on Saturday Pakistan’s strong commitment to the just struggle of the Palestinian people. In a post on his X handle, the premier said that in a telephonic conversation with the Prime Minister of Ireland Simon Harris yesterday, he lauded the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) decision to order Israel to stop its assault on Rafah. Admiring Ireland’s recent decision to recognize the state of Palestine, Shebhbaz said this move will not only send a message of hope and solidarity to the innocent Palestinians who are suffering Israel’s brutal atrocities but would also go a long way in promoting Palestine’s cause and encourage other countries to follow suit. Highlighting the Indian oppression in Kashmir, the prime minister hoped Kashmiris would also receive similar attention from the international community stating they also have been enduring brutal occupation and denial of fundamental human rights for the last seven decades. Harris said Ireland had taken a principled decision in consultation with other European allies because the extent of Israel’s military action in Gaza could no longer be condoned in any way. Ireland felt that the decision was necessary to promote normalization in the occupied territories, he added. PM Shehbaz also paid tributes to the courage of the 13 ICJ judges who made the decision and thanked South Africa for filing the petition.