ISLAMABAD: China has pledged firm support to Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, combating terrorism and playing a greater role in international and regional affairs.
Announcing this commitment, Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong, while speaking at the inauguration ceremony of “Esthetic Bridge” exhibition at the Silkroad Culture Centre on Sunday, reaffirmed China’s unwavering support to Pakistan.
Speaking about promoting exchange and mutual learning between Chinese and Islamic civilisations, the Chinese envoy said, “let them shine in each other’s light.”
The Chinese ambassador recalled that Pakistan was the first Islamic country to recognise the People’s Republic of China, and that China helped Pakistan build Karakoram Highway, hailed as the “Eighth Wonder of the World”.
He reminded that during the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, China witnessed the touching story of Pakistan’s all-out assistance with tents; in 2010 and 2022, Pakistan received full support from all sectors of Chinese society in fighting floods.
He emphasized that the traditional friendship between Pakistan and China has continuously consolidated and elevated as “we move forward together”. This ironclad friendship, “higher than the mountains, deeper than the sea, and sweeter than honey” has taken root, flourished, and will surely be passed down through generations and remain steady and enduring, he added. He said, “We stand firmly together, committed to creating miracles of development.”
The Chinese ambassador said currently, the Pakistan government is advancing its reform agenda in full force, stabilising and improving 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 per cent.
Over the past 11 years, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has made significant contributions to strengthening Pakistan’s development foundation and improving the well-being of Pakistani people.
“For 85 years, the brotherly people of Pakistan have proactively pursued the great dream of building a strong and prosperous nation,” Zaidong said.
He assured, “As Chinese modernisation 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 modernisation.”
“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. 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 multi-polar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation. We stand firmly together, hand in hand, to create a brighter tomorrow,” the Chinese ambassador said.
He said that 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.”
The ambassador expressed contentment that under the care and promotion of the leaders of both countries, the CPEC has entered a new phase of building an “upgraded version”, providing new opportunities for high-quality development of practical cooperation between the two countries.
“Let us join hands and shoulders, while guided by the important consensus reached between our national leaders, to focus on building an even closer Pakistan-China community with a shared future in the new era, and continuously consolidate, deepen and expand the all-weather strategic cooperation between Pakistan and China, to jointly creating a brighter future for China-Pakistan friendship.”