Asif Zardari fully supports BRI, CPEC

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Former President Asif Ali Zardari, has asserted that China was a true friend of Pakistan, having provided selfless help to Pakistan's economic development and social progress over the years.

"The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), proposed by President Xi Jinping is far-sighted. The construction of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) promotes Pakistan’s development and prosperity and improves people’s livelihood,” the former President expressed these views while meeting with the Chinese Ambassador, Yao Jing, at Islamabad on September 10.

“The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) firmly supports the BRI as well as the CPEC. Our party hopes to strengthen the exchange of experience in party governance with the Communist Party of China and promote the continuous development of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic partnership,” Asif Zardari remarked. 

Earlier the former President and co-chairman of the PPP, Asif Ali Zardari, alongwith the Vice Chairman of the Senate, Saleem Mandviwala, and Senator Sherry Rahman, upon arrival at the Chinese embassy in Islamabad, were warmly welcomed by Ambassador Yao Jing and Minister Counselor Pang Chunxue. 

Ambassador Yao recalled that the PPP and the Bhutto family were old and good friends of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people, having firmly supported the development of China-Pakistan relations for a long time. 

“China attaches great importance to the traditional friendship with the People's Party and is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with it to promote the comprehensive and in-depth development of the relations between the two parties and the two countries,” he added.

Pakistan's future linked with China: Imran Khan

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Prime Minister Imran Khan has forcefully declared that Pakistan's future was linked with China as it remained steadfast with Islamabad at times of weals and woes. 

In a television interview, marking the completion two years of his government, he divulged upon the achievements and accomplishments besides shedding light on the challenges being faced and steps taken to address the issues. 

The Prime Minister categorically told the interviewer that it was China that always came out and defended Pakistan. 

The Pakistani nation received with jubilation the Prime Minister's announcement that the Chinese President, Xi Jinping will be visiting Pakistan later this year.

Chinese President replies to Pakistani students, encourages them

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Chinese President, Xi Jinping, wrote back to Pakistani students studying in Beijing and encouraged them to promote youth exchanges and understanding.

China welcomes outstanding young people from around the world to study in China, and encourages them to promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and their home countries, President Xi remarked in his letter on May 17.  

According to the state media, President Xi said that the Chinese government, as well as universities and schools, were always concerned about the safety and health of overseas students having offered to help meet students' needs in their daily lives, epidemic prevention and medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Chinese government treats foreigners and locals equally, President Xi stressed and the focus has been on saving lives. 

There are currently 52 Pakistani students studying at the University of Science and Technology in Beijing and 49 of them are pursuing PhD or post-graduate degrees. 

Earlier, the students wrote a letter to President Xi expressing gratitude for the support and help they had received from the university. They expressed their desire to devote themselves to the construction of the Belt and Road after graduation and contribute to the Pakistan-China friendship. 

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of Chinese foreign ministry, Zhao Lijian, while replying to a question said that President Xi Jinping, in his reply to the letter, stated that they had learned a wealth of knowledge and made a lot of Chinese friends since they came to study in China. 

“I am pleased with your achievements. As you can feel, after the outbreak of the New Coronary Pneumonia, the Chinese government and educational institutions have always been concerned about the safety and health of foreign students studying in China, and have provided with all-round help. For the supremacy of life, whether it is Chinese or foreign personnel in China, the Chinese government and the Chinese people treat and care them equally,” the President observed.

“I learned that during the fight against the epidemic many foreign students cheered for the Chinese people through various means. See the truth in trouble. China will continue to provide all kinds of assistance to all foreign students in China,” he wrote, adding that China welcomed outstanding young people from all over the world to study in China. 

He hoped that the students will learn more about China and talk to the world about what they have seen, communicate with the Chinese youth, work with young people from all over the world, and work together to promote people-to-people communication and build humanity.

Nisar Memon praises Chinese leadership

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Senator Nisar Memon has praised the Chinese leadership, headed by President Xi Jinping, for having controlled the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic with precision. 

“COVID-19 had first surfaced, reported and now controlled in China. How did they do it? Their leadership, hats off to President Xi Jinping who led from the front and his entire team in centre, provinces and municipalities who implemented effective unambiguous lockdown with reliable data using information technology and artificial intelligence to save further lives by testing, isolation, isolation and isolation,” the former federal minister wrote in his latest newspaper article. 

“In the fight they provided to doctors, paramedics and supporting staff the personal protective equipments. These frontline medical soldiers in turn went scientifically against the virus to save citizen lives. Bravo!” he complimented.

“The ancient civilization of our region is stuck by a pandemic which has taken the whole world by surprise. Isn’t this the time to bury the hatchet, unite to fight current common enemy and lay a solid basis for future relations? The answer can only be in affirmative,” he reckoned. 

“Unfortunately, our neighbour Iran could not implement social distances due to ziarat (pilgrimage) and COVID-19 found fertile ground to spread. India announced severe and tough lockdown and saved their people. Sri Lanka undertook early hygiene and preventive measures and kept the Island nation safe. Bangladesh took stringent measures to save lives. Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Afghanistan too fought well to save lives,” Senator Nisar Memon noted. 

“Pakistan had no option but to take actions to contain spread of pandemic. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries with population of about 1.8 billion had confirmed COVID-19 cases of above 20,000 and over 600 deaths, as of last week. At the same time; USA and Europe with population of about 1.1 billion had confirmed Covid19 cases of above 1.6 million and over 120,000 deaths. SAARC affliction was proportionally lower than USA and Europe,” he stated. 

“The scientists and social researchers have yet to come up with a plausible answer as to why such a huge difference. The reasons like temperature, social distances, and effective lockdown do not hold true. The rural horizontal spread, food we eat, and pollution with unclean environment may have developed immunity within our body. But nothing definitive is said yet,” the former federal minister commented.

China issues commemorative stamp on President Arif Alvi’s historic visit

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

China has issued a commemorative stamp on President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi’s visit to Beijing at the crucial time the country was fighting to curb coronavirus. 

The postage envelopue with Dr Arif Alvi photograph and remarks that ‘I am proud of my iron-friends the people of China, in the way they handled coronavirus’ signed by the President on March 17, 2020. 

Lauding the gesture, the Chinese media including the most popular China Radio International (CRI), have given a prominent space to this report in their publications and on their television channels and websites.

The envelopue also bears a stamp lauding the fraternal relationship between the two countries the remarks most popular slogan ‘Pakistan-China friendship for everyone’ both in English and Chinese languages. 

President Dr Arif Alvi’s last visit to China, during a period when coronavirus had started to paralyze the whole world, reflected the deep rooted friendship ties between the two countries. 

He held talks with the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, and witnessed the signing of multiple bilateral cooperation documents. He also met the Chinese Premier, Li Keqiang. 

The visit to Beijing and his meetings with the Chinese leaders were widely hailed by the media and the people of China reacted very positively on the goodwill gesture of Pakistan.

China reiterates supporting Pakistan on CPEC, deepening bilateral ties

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, has reiterated his country’s support to Pakistan for accomplishment of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

"China is willing to support Pakistan to uphold its sovereignty and right to development and make joint efforts with Pakistan to boost the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, as well as to deepen the bilateral all-weather strategic cooperative partnership," Wang said while meeting with Chairman, Senate of Pakistan, Sadiq Sanjrani, in Beijing. 

Pakistan has just held a successfully general election, Wang said, adding that he believes Pakistan's national construction would gain new achievements under the new government. 

Reciprocating the sentiments on behalf of government and the people of Pakistan, Chairman Senate, Sadiq Sanjrani, said that his country would always uphold the friendly policy towards China, a consensus that reached between the two sides.

The Chairman Senate, leading a 9-member parliamentary delegation, pointed out that the strengthening of relationship between the two countries is the cornerstone of Pakistan's foreign policy. 

"The new government is ready to work with China to push forward the construction of Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor," Sanjrani was quoted as saying by the Chinese state media. 

The members of the delegation include Senators Mrs Nuzhat Sadiq, Sitara Ayaz, Muhammad Akram, Dilawar Khan, Kauda Babar, Muhammad Azam Khan Swati, Barrister Muhammad Ali Khan Saif and Mirza Muhammad Afridi. Secretary Senate, Amjed Pervez Malik. 

Earlier, the Chairman Senate and his delegation were accorded a warm welcome upon arrival at the airport. The Vice Chairman, Chinese Foreign Affairs Committee of the CPPCC National Committee, Han Fangming received the chairman and his delegation. 

Pakistan's Ambassador to China, Masood Khalid and other senior officials of Pakistan and China were also present on the occasion.