Daily Times

BEIJING: Pakistan and China signed an agreement on the establishment of a sister-province relationship between Sindh and Hubei provinces to promote pragmatic cooperation in the fields of education, science and technology, technical and vocational training, and people to people exchanges.

The agreement was signed during a meeting held in Wuhan, China between Pakistan Ambassador to China, Moin-ul-Haque, and Wang Zhonglin, Governor of Hubei Provincial People’s Government.

Zhao Haishan, Vice Governor, and other high-level senior officials of Hubei province were also present on the occasion.

During the event, congratulatory video messages of Syed Murad Ali Shah, Chief Minister of Sindh, and China’s Counsel General in Karachi were also played.

Speaking on the occasion, Governor Wang said that China and Pakistan were All-Weather Strategic Cooperative partners and our iron-clad friendship enjoyed the strong support and consensus of our leaders.

During the last 70 years, both countries stood in solidarity with each other and worked closely to strengthen and deepen their bilateral relations.

On the establishment of a sister-province relationship between Hubei and Sindh, he expressed confidence that it would lead to pragmatic cooperation in the fields of education, science and technology, technical and vocational training, and people-to-people exchanges.

The ambassador thanked the Governor for making excellent arrangements and warm hospitality during his visit to Wuhan.

Paying tribute to the courage and resilience of the people of Hubei and Wuhan for securing the first victory against the Covid-19 battle, he said that Hubei held a special place in the hearts of the Pakistani people.

The ambassador also appreciated the Hubei-based enterprises like China Gezhouba Corporation and China Three Gorges which had played a significant role in infrastructure development and energy security of Pakistan. He also mentioned the thousands of Pakistani students were studying in local universities and serving as a cultural bridge between the two countries.

Ambassador Haque conveyed his sincere appreciation to the Governor for his support for the China-Pakistan friendship.

He noted that together with the friendship square inaugurated, the sister-province city relationship signed today would open a new chapter of cooperation in diverse fields.

He also thanked the Governor for organizing a number of events to celebrate 70 years of China-Pakistan diplomatic ties including a grand thematic light show on the Yangtze River.