Pak-China friendship has transformed into strategic partnership: President
Source : Pakistan Observer Date : 24-05-2016
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Islamabad—President Mamnoon Hussain on Tuesday said the all-weather friendship between Pakistan and China had transformed into a strategic partnership, which was not only a source of stability for the two countries but stood for the development and betterment of humankind.
The President expressed these views while speaking at a special ceremony organized by the Chinese Embassy here to mark the 65th anniversary of Pak-China diplomatic relations. Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi, Balochistan Governor Muhammad Khan Achakzai, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman, senior civil and military officials and a large number of people from different walks of life
attended the ceremony.
Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong also addressed the ceremony. The President said Pakistan-China friendship started at a time when the examples of selfless and sincere friendships were very rare. In such a situation, Pakistan and China joined hands and developed mutual trust. “These relations have today transformed into strategic partnership and durable cooperation encompassing almost all fields, including economy, science and technology, culture, sports, education and people to people contact,” he added. The President expressed his belief that Pak-China friendship would be a source of progress and betterment for humanity symbolized by China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. He said as the world was looking at CPEC with optimism he believed that the foundation of this Corridor was laid the day the construction of Silk Road was undertaken. “The skilled workforce of Pakistan and China worked shoulder to shoulder to convert this ordinary road into the Eighth Wonder of the world and even did not hesitate in laying down their lives in the process,” he remarked.The President said like the Silk Road, Pak-China foreign policy was a unique example of mutual harmony and solidarity, which never wavered even during challenging international situations.
Both the countries, he said, had played a very useful role in establishing regional and international peace and strengthening world order. “Be it One China Policy, Kashmir issue, intricacies of international conflicts or reorganization of the UN Security Council, the way both the countries have supported each other in these matters is a golden chapter in our history.”
The President expressed his belief that this sincere friendship would pass on to the future generations and the world would not only marvel at the exemplary ties but would also greatly benefit from it which would facilitate global peace and stability and open up new avenues of progress and prosperity. —APP