China stands ready to walk hand in hand with Pakistan on China’s respective paths to modernization and welcomes Pakistan to benefit first from China’s comprehensive deepening of reforms and expansion of high-level opening-up, said Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong in his keynote speech at a seminar on the Two Sessions themed “China’s Spring: China’s Opportunities, Shared by the World” at the Islamabad Strategic Studies Institute. The ambassador said this year’s government work report states that China will continue to expand high-level opening-up and promote high-quality Belt and Road Initiative cooperation. These important measures will surely provide new opportunities for the world with the new development of Chinese modernization, benefiting our close friend Pakistan first and foremost. He said Chinese modernization has taken new steps and embarked on a new chapter. Over the past year, China’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 5%, with per capita GDP exceeding $13,000, contributing about 30% to global economic growth, with grain output surpassing a new milestone of 1.4 trillion jin (approximately 700 million tons) for the first time, 12.56 million new jobs were created in urban areas, and over 13 million new energy vehicles were manufactured. This year, we expect GDP growth of around 5%. Despite challenges such as adverse impacts from changes in the external environment and insufficient domestic effective demand, we firmly believe that under the strong leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and through the united efforts of people of all ethnic groups, we will achieve economic and social development goals and tasks comprehensively, writing a new chapter in the realization of Chinese modernization. Second, new breakthroughs have been achieved in science and technology, making new contributions. During this year’s Two Sessions, General Secretary Xi Jinping had cordial exchanges with delegates and members, discussing national affairs and emphasizing the importance of focusing on scientific and technological innovation, industrial innovation, and the integration of both, further clarified the basic path for the development of new quality productive forces. “We will promote the integrated development of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation, nurture and strengthen emerging industries and future industries, stimulate innovation vitality in the digital economy, continuously improve the level of self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology.” In 2024, Pakistan’s inaugural lunar satellite iCube-Qamar and multi-mission communication satellite PakSat-MM1 were launched from China. Just before the Two Sessions, China and Pakistan signed an agreement on astronaut selection and training cooperation, and the first foreign astronaut to visit China’s space station will come from our iron-clad friend Pakistan. Third, the quality of people’s lives have reached a new level and they’re filled with new expectations. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that “in Chinese modernization, people’s livelihood is of paramount importance” and “of every issue, whether related to a family, a nation or the whole world, ensuring a happy life for the people is the top priority.” Employment is the basic aspect of people’s livelihood. In 2024, China’s urban surveyed unemployment rate averaged 5.1%, a year-on-year decrease of 0.1 percentage points. The number of people lifted out of poverty who found employment reached 33.052 million. National scholarships and grants benefited over 34 million students, and one-time living allowances for those in need reached more than 11 million people. He said the Belt and Road international cooperation has created 421,000 local jobs. When it comes to China-Pakistan cooperation on livelihood enhancement, the China-Pakistan Friendship Hospital treated over 150,000 patients under six months, and welcomed 1,260 newborn babies. Chinese experts traveled a long way to Pakistan to perform surgeries for congenital heart disease patients, enabling the children to regain their health and reigniting the hope in their families. Fourth, the major-country diplomacy has achieved new progress and opened up new prospects. In 2024, China’s major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics has created a favorable external environment for China’s high-quality development and brought valuable stability to a world full of changes and turmoil. Especially as the leader of a major country and a major political party, President Xi Jinping, with a global vision and a sense of responsibility of the times, has guided China’s diplomacy to adhere to the correct principles while taking innovative measures, and move forward steadily, achieving new development and opening up a better environment. The important concepts and initiatives put forward by President Xi Jinping are increasingly welcomed and supported by the international community. The positive role China plays in addressing various global challenges and resolving hot-spot and difficult issues is increasingly expected and praised by countries around the world, he concluded.