Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) commemorated the 75th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Pakistan and the People’s Republic of China with a prestigious ceremony held at its Regional Office on Wednesday.
FPCCI commemorates 75th anniversary of Pak-China diplomatic ties
LAHORE, Jul 08 (APP): Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) commemorated the 75th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Pakistan and the People’s Republic of China with a prestigious ceremony held at its Regional Office on Wednesday.
The ceremony was graced by H.E Sun Yan, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Lahore; Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Provincial Minister for Finance; Chaudhry Shafay Hussain, Provincial Minister for Industries, Commerce and Investment; Zaki Aijaz, Regional Chairman and Vice President FPCCI, senior government officials, diplomats, industrialists, exporters, importers, and a large number of members of the business community. The participants celebrated the enduring friendship and ever-strengthening strategic partnership between Pakistan and China.
Speaking on the occasion, Chinese Consul General Mr. Sun Yan said that Pakistan and China are jointly advancing towards an upgraded phase of cooperation under CPEC 2.0, with a strategic focus on key sectors such as industry, agriculture, and mining. He underscored that developing a skilled workforce with proficiency in the Chinese language would be vital to unlocking the full potential of bilateral trade and investment. The consul general recalled Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent visit to China, during which both sides reaffirmed their commitment to supporting each other’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and security while expanding cooperation in defence, economic development and global governance. Highlighting the significance of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said, the flagship initiative has attracted billions of dollars in investment and generated thousands of employment opportunities in Pakistan. He added that future collaboration would increasingly focus on emerging sectors such as textiles, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, education and innovation. He also pointed out that Pakistani astronauts had been invited to China for professional training.
Mr. Sun Yan reiterated China’s commitment to working closely with the FPCCI, the Punjab government and the business community to deepen economic cooperation and strengthen people-to-people exchanges.
Punjab Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman said that over the past 75 years, Pakistan-China relations have successfully withstood every test of time and today stand as a model of strategic partnership for the world. He noted that as the global economy rapidly evolves through digital technology, artificial intelligence and innovation, new avenues of cooperation between Pakistan and China will play a vital role in advancing the shared prosperity of both nations.
He said, the CPEC has made a remarkable contribution to Pakistan’s economic development by strengthening infrastructure, energy security and regional connectivity. As CPEC enters its next phase, greater emphasis is being placed on industrial cooperation, technology transfer, the digital economy, artificial intelligence, renewable energy and modern agriculture.
He mentioned, Punjab government is implementing comprehensive reforms aimed at promoting investment, strengthening institutions and accelerating sustainable economic growth.
The Punjab Government, he added, is fostering an investor-friendly environment through fiscal discipline, transparency, digital governance and regulatory reforms. Punjab offers vast investment opportunities for Chinese investors in advanced manufacturing, information technology, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, electric vehicles, agriculture, healthcare, logistics, tourism and technical education. “We are also keen to expand cooperation with China in smart agriculture, water-efficient irrigation, agricultural mechanization, seed technology and food processing to enhance food security and agricultural productivity.”
The Finance Minister said that Punjab remains dedicated to further strengthening economic cooperation with China by pursuing transparent policies, efficient governance and an investor-friendly business environment while extending every possible facilitation to investors.
Punjab Minister for Industries and Commerce Syed Shafay Hussain highlighted the vast investment opportunities and robust infrastructure available in the province. He said the Punjab Government is working closely with China to promote innovation in the agricultural sector, while also benefiting from Chinese expertise in seed development and artificial intelligence technologies.
FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh described Pakistan-China relations as one of the world’s strongest, long-standing, and most exemplary strategic partnerships, founded on mutual trust, unwavering support, and a shared commitment to peace, development, and prosperity.
In his address, FPCCI Regional Chairman and Vice President Zaki Aijaz stated that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and President Xi Jinping, Pakistan-China relations have entered a new era of economic cooperation through CPEC 2.0. He emphasized that the next phase of bilateral collaboration should prioritize industrial cooperation, Special Economic Zones (SEZs), advanced manufacturing, information technology, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, agriculture, healthcare, logistics, tourism, and youth entrepreneurship.
The participants reaffirmed their shared commitment to further strengthening Pakistan-China economic cooperation, expanding bilateral trade and investment, promoting industrial collaboration, and deepening the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership for the mutual prosperity of both nations.
