Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari told students and faculty at Fudan University that the China-Pakistan relationship is a “generation-to-generation” bond, rooted in history and nurtured by successive leaders of his family.
“Over 2,000 years ago, our histories intertwined along the fabled Silk Road,” Bilawal said in an exclusive session titled “Pak-China Friendship: Past, Present and Future, ” according to a report carried by Gwadar Pro on Tuesday.
“The areas that are now part of Pakistan served as a vital artery of the ancient Silk Road, connecting China with the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
This was not just a trade route but a conduit of culture, laying the foundations of what we now celebrate as our iron brotherhood.”
“I, while serving my country as the foreign minister of Pakistan, engaged closely with China, particularly with my counterpart Wang Yi,” Bilawal said. “So I believe, generation after generation, we have carried this relationship forward.”
Bilawal emphasized that Pakistan was among the first nations to recognize the People’s Republic of China. “We are particularly proud that while today everybody wants to be friends with China, we sought friendship with China even when no one else did,” he said.
“We have a unique relationship, not merely a bond of opportunity, not just aligning with the rising sun.”
He also urged greater youth engagement in shaping the future of bilateral ties.
“I am here to engage with you, to speak with you, and to encourage you to begin playing your role in taking this relationship to the next generation and the next level,” he said.
Separately, President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday witnessed the signing of three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) aimed at advancing Pakistan’s agricultural, environmental and mass transit initiatives.
The president was flanked by the First Lady Bibi Aseefa, Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, a Presidency’s news release said.
The first MoU related to the development of a Controlled Agriculture Science and Education Park to enhance agricultural production efficiency and strengthen food security.
The second MoU was a tripartite memorandum for the construction of Shennong College, a vocational institute in Pakistan that will provide advanced integrated technology and training to farmers. The signatories included Longping High-Tech Information Technology (Beijing) Company, Limited (Chairman Mr Chen Zhixin), Beijing Jialong Technology Company, Limited (Vice Chairman Jialong), and ASM Services represented by Shahid Tawawalla.
The third MoU was about a Tyre Recycling Project, promoting environmentally sustainable waste management practices. The signatories were Maritime Silk Road Holdings (Qingdao) Company, Limited, represented by Cheng Long, and ASM Services represented by Shahid Tawawalla.
Expressing his views on the occasion President Zardari said these MoUs reflect a practical step towards strengthened cooperation between Pakistan and China in agriculture, technology, and environmental management.