Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his Chinese counterpart officially kicked off the celebrations
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi kicked off the celebrations to mark the 70 years of diplomatic ties between the two friendly countries. The virtual ceremony was concurrently held in Islamabad and Beijing with a number of dignitaries attending from both sides.
Foreign Minister Qureshi was all praise for the people of both countries as they were the real strength behind the close bond enjoyed by the neighbors. Qureshi praised the current Chinese leadership for its incredible achievements.
“We pay tribute to the Chinese leadership which has done an incredible job in changing the lives and destiny of its people. We believe that President Xi Jinping’s leadership, at a momentous history, has greatly helped Chinese nation achieve its national aspirations,” Qureshi said. “Successive generations of leaders and people of both Pakistan and China made invaluable contributions to strengthen these ties.”
Qureshi also said that Pakistan is looking forward to the visit by the Chinese President, which will help further boost the ties between the two sides. “We are looking forward to receiving President Xi Jinping to Pakistan this year. We believe that the visit will be seminal in further elevating our ties,” the foreign minister said.
Strategic Partners
Pakistan and China have forged a strategic partnership that allows a balance of power in the region. India for decades has tried to overpower neighbors and act as the regional superpower. However, both China and Pakistan have countered it to ensure its designs fail. Pakistan and China also have a strong military relationship including the production of KF-17 Thunder Fighter Jets.
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
BRI is known as the Silk Route which will allow China faster and easier access to far-off markets. Pakistan plays a critical role in the project with CPEC. China will greatly benefit from Gawadar’s port in Balochistan, which reduces the sea travel for China’s merchandise by at least two weeks. This will save China a significant amount of trade costs. At the same time, it helps Pakistan in having a more robust economy and more jobs for the locals.
People to people contact
Pakistan and China have strong people-to-people contact. They engage in a lot of trade with Pakistan preferring China as its exporters. Pakistan also exports certain products to China. Many Pakistani students also study in China in various fields. These people-to-people contact help maintain a strong bond between the two friendly countries.