LAHORE: (APP) Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui in Beijing on Tuesday.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that Pak-China friendship is a precious asset of every Pakistani.
He said that completion of China Pakistan Economic Corridor would change the destiny of the region. He said that implementation of CPEC projects would result in promotion of exports of Pakistan and different countries of the region as well as create job opportunities besides curbing the trend of extremism, says a handout.
He said that Pakistan had always supported China on "One China Policy", Tibet as well as regional and international issues.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui said that China had always stood by Pakistan and would continue to help Pakistan achieve progress and prosperity. He said that China would extend all out cooperation to Pakistan to enhance productive capacity of industrial sector and this cooperation would also include construction of industries and transfer of technology. He said that Pakistan would be among China's priorities in the programme of shifting of Chinese industries to other countries and would assist Pakistan in any industrial sector.
Shehbaz Sharif while addressing signing ceremony of different agreements and memorandums of understanding between government and private companies of China and Pakistan at Pakistan Embassy in Beijing said that Pakistani traders and industrialists have a golden opportunity in the form of Chinese cooperation and they should benefit from it for promotion of mutual trade and progress and prosperity of Pakistan.
As many as seven agreements and 17 MoUs were signed at the ceremony. These agreements pertain to textile industry, establishment of industrial estates, training of master trainers in different skills, promotion of trade fairs and exhibitions, energy, infrastructure and water treatment and other sectors.
Shehbaz Sharif said that in the background of Pak-China cooperation, a new history will be written in the form of implementation of these agreements.
The Chief Minister further said that pace of implementation of development projects in Pakistan under CPEC is unprecedented.
He said that Chinese President Xi Jinping came to Pakistan in April 2015 and different agreements were signed. Then, he said, speedy implementation of these agreements started and these projects are being completed at an extraordinary pace.
Addressing Pakistani industrialists and traders signing the agreements, he said, the government and people of Pakistan expect from them to work on these agreement at the same speed.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister while talking to the representatives of Chinese print and electronic media, news agencies and radio in Pakistan Embassy in Beijing said that Pak-China love and friendship is based on golden principle of honesty, trust and transparency. He said that people of China and Pakistan should learn each other languages as it would come closer them.He said that there is a need for visits of delegations of traders, industrialists besides scientists, artists, students and teachers.
In reply to a question, the Chief Minister said that Pakistan is standing by China in South China sea dispute, One China Policy, territorial rights and other issues and has supported the stance of China at all international forums. The Chief Minister further told that a number of Pakistani boys and girls students learning Chinese language in China would be increased next year.
Addressing Pakistani boys and girls students in Pakistan Embassy in Beijing, Shehbaz Sharif said that Punjab government had sent them to China at its expenses to learn Chinese language.
He said that Pakistani students are very talented and learning of Chinese language is the need of the hour. He said that Punjab government had sent them to China and it is now their responsibility to work hard to gain command over this language.
He said that these students are ambassador of their country.
He said that Punjab government would send more youth to China to learn Chinese language. Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif also met President Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Jin Liqun in Beijing. He while giving assurance of provision of funds on priority basis for the projects being completed with Chinese cooperation said that experience of Chinese financial institutions working in Pakistan has been very good and there would be no shortage of resources for the projects in future as well.
The Chief Minister while speaking on the occasion said that due to provision of resources by the Chinese banks, the pace of work on the projects is enviable and every penny of funds is being spent with honesty. He said that completion of projects with Chinese cooperation would benefit crores of Pakistanis.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Vice Chairman National Development and Reform Commission Nuer Baikeli in Beijing. The pace of progress on projects under CPEC was discussed in the meeting. The Chief Minister said that CPEC projects are guarantee to progress and prosperity of Pakistan.
A meeting was also held between Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chairman of a prominent Chinese group in energy sector Huaneng, Cao Peixi in Pakistan Embassy in Beijing.
Shehbaz Sharif thanked Chairman of Huaneng group for speedy work on Sahiwal Coal Power Plant. Chairman Huaneng expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made by Punjab government and said that his group is ready to work on more mega projects in Punjab.
The Chief Minister said that all out measures had been taken for the security of Chinese nationals in Punjab and Sahiwal Coal Power Project would prove to be as splendid example of Pak-China friendship.
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif also met Administrator National Energy Administration Noor Bakri. The Administrator National Energy Administration said that the pace of work on power projects in Punjab is unprecedented in the history of the world. The Chief Minister said that completion of power projects is mission of the government.
He said that Pakistan Muslim League-N government had launched power projects with hard work. The Chief Minister also visited Command and Control Center of Transport Management Center of Beijing, Public Security Bureau. He inspected various sections of Beijing Public Security Bureau. A briefing was also given to the Chief Minister.
Shehbaz Sharif informed that Punjab government had evolved the project of establishment of command and control centers for the protection of life and property of the people and a big programme is being implemented for facilitating the masses by benefiting from information technology.