BEIJIING – Chinese cities Urumqi, Puyang and Xian were declared as sistercities to Karachi, Gwadar, and Multan respectively at a forum oncooperation between China and Pakistan friendship and cities held here onThursday to further enhance the bond of friendship between China andPakistan.
The Pakistani and Chinese officials signed separate agreements in thisregard in the presence of Federal Minister of Inter ProvincialCoordination, Dr Fehmida Mirza, Pakistan Ambassador to China, MasoodKhalid, Vice President, Chinese People’s Association for Friendship withForeign Countries, Lin Yi and Executive Vice Governor of Xinjiang UyghurAutonomous Region.
Speaking as the chief guest, Federal Minister of IPC, Dr Fehmida Mirza, wholed Pakistani delegation, said Pakistan highly valued its relationship andmutual cooperation with China.
She, on behalf of people of Pakistan, acknowledged and appreciated China’ssupport to Pakistan in the recent situation and playing a role forde-escalating tension in South Asia.
The minister also praised participation of the Chinese contingent at thePakistan Day Parade and spectacular air show presented by Chinese pilotsand added, it had not only enhanced the prestige of the occasion but alsogave a loud message that the two nations stood shoulder to shoulder throughthick and thin.
Dr Fehmida Mirza observed that the last visit of PM Imran Khan to China hadgiven a new impetus to Pak-China friendship and opened up several newavenues of cooperation.
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was a basic pillar of Belt and RoadInitiative under which most of the early harvest projects had beencompleted especially in the fields of infrastructure and energy.
“This flagship project is poised to provide employment to our youth andenhance economic growth as well as social economic benefits for sharedprosperity,” she added.
Pakistan, she said, wanted to learn lessons from China to alleviate povertyand added, “There is a wider scope of cooperation in agriculture health,education, safe drinking water, and vocational training and in thisrespect, this forum can play a key role.”
The minister said this forum represented ambitions of people of twocountries to build a prosperous and sustainable partnership between ourprovinces and cities and also offered a viable mean for jointly promotingcommon values, interest, and opportunities.
In his remarks, Ambassador Masood Khalid briefed the audience about thehistory of Pakistan-China relations and the ongoing progress of theimplementation of CPEC.
He informed 2019 was a year of China-Pakistan friendship and commended theMinistry of IPC and the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship withforeign countries in translating the vision of the leadership of twocountries into tangible results in a very short time.
He expressed the confidence that local government representatives fromPakistan and China would ensure that the torch of Pak-China friendship waspassed on and benefit of the cooperation continued to accrue to successivegenerations.
Pakistan, he said, would promote the sound development of CPEC and remarkedthe completion of projects would provide a sound foundation for Pakistan’sfuture economic growth by accelerating its industrialization.
“The development of export orientated industry will enhance ourcompetiveness and improve our economic situation,” he added.
He opined that socioeconomic development in agriculture, education, medicaltreatment and healthcare, poverty alleviation, water supply and technicaleducation training would accelerate trickle down positive effects of CPECon local community.
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Ambassador Khalid said the sister cities relationship would provide a keyavenue for development at community and local levels.
Vice President, CPAFFC, Lin Yi welcomed the distinguished guests andremarked that 25,000 Pakistani students studying in China would furtherenhance understanding between the people of two countries.
She said the Chinese government has established vocational training schooland hospital for the welfare of local people.
She expressed a need to further promote people to people exchanges todeepen the all-weather friendship and strategic partnership between the twofriendly countries.
In his themed speech, Vice Mayor of Xi’an City, Gao Gao briefed about thedevelopment strategy of Chinese provinces and cities.
He observed that Xi’an could contribute to the development of Pakistan inthe field of agriculture, tourism, transport, airline and so on.
The vice mayor also briefed about the development of Xi’an and his futureplan to further bring prosperity to the city.He informed that at present around 1,677 Pakistani students were studyingin educational institutions in Xi’an and hoped that this number wouldincrease in coming years.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner of Kashgar AdministrativeOffice, Cao Zhi shared the poverty alleviation strategy in Xinjiang andparticularly in Kashgar.
He said that Kashgar was connected with Pakistan through Karakoram highwayand expressed the confidence the Khunjrab pass which currently remainedopen for traveling for six months, would be made available for the wholeyear.
He informed that all the people in Kashgar who were facing unemployment andmenace of poverty would completely be lifted out of poverty by the year2020.
He also threw light on the comprehensive plan and assistance from thecenter and difference provinces for the poverty alleviation.
The deputy commissioner said import of seafood and fruits from Pakistanwould be enhanced and promised to provide all possible facilities toPakistani exporters.
During the subforums, the Pakistani and Chinese speakers took part in thediscussion including promoting of development of medium and small-sizedenterprises, advancing city management and development and strengtheningexchanges and cooperation on vocational training.
