Daily Times

Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong Sunday said that China and Pakistan stand firmly together, committed to creating miracles of development.

“We stand firmly together, committed to creating miracles of development. For 85 years, the brotherly people of Pakistan have proactively pursued the great dream of building a strong and prosperous nation,” The ambassador said while addressing the inauguration ceremony of the “Esthetic Bridges” exhibition.

“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 government is 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 expected GDP growth of more than 3%,” he said.

“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,” he further said.

“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 diplomatic relations between Chin and Pakistan in 1951, we have always stood together and supported each other through thick and thin,” he said.

“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,” he added.

“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,” he added.

“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 Zardari visited 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,” he added.

The ambassador said the exhibition lives up to its name, not only showcasing the unique charm of Chinese and Pakistani art but also building a bridge for in-depth dialogue between artists from both countries. “We are ready to work with Pakistan to implement this important initiative, appreciating the beauty of each other and sharing it together, to promote the exchange and mutual learning of Chinese and Islamic civilizations and let them shine in each other’s light,” he concluded.