Sindh Governor, CM, Chinese CG laud-time tested Pakistan-China ties

KARACHI, Sep 21 (APP):Sindh Governor Syed Nehal Hashmi, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Acting Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Karachi Feng Deheng lauded the time-tested relationship between Pakistan and China.

The Governor and Chief Minister on Monday congratulated the government and people of China on the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, describing Pakistan-China friendship as an enduring partnership based on mutual trust, sovereign equality and support for each other’s core interests.

Chief Minister Shah addressing the reception hosted by Acting Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Karachi Feng Deheng to mark China’s National Day, said that China had emerged as one of the most remarkable development success stories in modern history through determination, innovation and strategic vision.

The Chief Minister said that China had lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, developed world-class infrastructure, emerged as a global leader in science and technology and become a major engine of international economic growth.

he also highlighted China’s emphasis on modernisation, high-quality development and the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind under the leadership of President Xi Jinping.

He said China’s achievements in economic transformation, technological advancement, green development and social progress had earned international recognition and inspired developing countries seeking prosperity and sustainable growth.

The CM also appreciated China’s contribution to global peace, development and international cooperation, saying that its emphasis on dialogue, mutual respect, multilateralism and win-win cooperation provided opportunities for constructive engagement among nations.

Referring to China’s Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilisation Initiative, he said these efforts reflected the importance of inclusive development, collective security, cultural understanding and a more equitable international order.

The chief minister said Pakistan and China shared a friendship that had withstood the test of time and described their relationship as an All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership. “For decades, our two nations have stood shoulder to shoulder, supporting one another in moments of challenge and celebrating each other’s achievements,” he said, adding that the enduring friendship was a source of pride for both peoples and a cornerstone of regional cooperation and stability.

He said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, had added a transformative dimension to bilateral relations.

Through enhanced connectivity, energy projects, industrial development and infrastructure investments, CPEC had contributed significantly to Pakistan’s economic landscape and development prospects, he added.

He said Sindh, being Pakistan’s economic and commercial hub, occupied a central position in Pakistan-China cooperation.

“We are pleased to see growing Chinese investment and collaboration across multiple sectors, including energy, ports and logistics, industry, agriculture, information technology, urban infrastructure, healthcare and education,” he said.

He said the Sindh government highly valued its partnership with Chinese institutions and enterprises and remained committed to creating an enabling environment for investment.

The chief minister said the provincial government was keen to deepen cooperation in renewable energy, smart urban development, agricultural modernisation, vocational training, digital transformation and industrial innovation. “These areas hold immense potential for further strengthening the bonds between Sindh and China and for delivering tangible benefits to our people,” he said.

He said Pakistan appreciated China’s consistent support for the country’s development, economic progress and regional stability.

He expressed confidence that bilateral ties would continue to grow stronger and called for further efforts to deepen cooperation and people-to-people contacts.

The chief minister once again congratulated the Chinese government and people on the National Day and wished China continued peace, progress, prosperity and success.

The programme began with the national anthems of China and Pakistan.

Earlier, the Acting Consul General Feng Deheng delivered the welcoming remarks.

He said that practical cooperation between our two countries has gone deeper and yielded more tangible outcomes and the high-quality upgrading of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is being promoted.

He said that focusing on the three key areas of agriculture, industry and mining, our two sides are accelerating the building of an “upgraded CPEC 2.0”, ushering in a new landscape for coordinated development of cooperation across all sectors.

The Acting CG said that since the beginning of this year, China and Pakistan have witnessed frequent high-level exchanges with political mutual trust steadily consolidated.

“President Xi Jinping and President Asif Ali Zardari exchanged congratulatory messages on the anniversary of diplomatic relations,” he said adding that President Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid successful visits to China successively, during which the leaders of our two countries reached new and important common understandings, providing fundamental guidance and a roadmap for advancing China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperation.

Later, the programme concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony.