Pak-China friendship transcends into strategic partnership: Ayaz

ISLAMABAD, Sept 27 (APP): National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq Tuesday said that Pakistan-China relations had transcended into a strategic partnership.
Relations with China were the bedrock of Pakistan’s foreign policy as both the countries were committed to an all-encompassing and enduring partnership to support each other at international and regional forums, he added.
The NA Speaker was speaking as the chief guest at a reception held here to observe the 67th National Day of People’s Republic of China.
Ayaz Sadiq said Pak-China strategic partnership was vital for peace and development in the region and beyond.
Referring to China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a game-changer project for the regional development, he said its realization was the manifestation of shared dream of unprecedented prosperity for the region.
Sino-Pak relationship, he said, was “based on firm foundations of mutual respect, trust, peaceful co-existence and brotherly neighbourhood. We have firmly stood by each other in every thick and thin and this friendship has passed from one generation to the other.”
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said 67 years ago China emerged on the international scene as a forceful voice for the oppressed and marginalized nations all over the world and Pakistan took the pride of being the first nation in the world to recognize its establishment and establish diplomatic relations.
He appreciated Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong for his support for Green Parliament Project and for all of his devoted efforts in promoting closer ties between China and Pakistan.
Ambassador Sun, while speaking on the occasion, said China and Pakistan were all weather strategic cooperative partners.
“No matter how the international and regional situations have changed, our friendship remains unbreakable and even gets stronger than before,” he added.
The road of China-Pakistan friendship, Ambassador Sun said, was “getting broader and brighter”. The Sino-Pak friendship had become a model of relations between countries.
While appreciating Pakistan’s assistance of 10,000 tons of rice for flood relief operation in Southern China, the ambassador said it reflected the love and care of the Pakistani people.
Since the visit of President Xi Jinping to Pakistan, he opined, the “cooperation between the two countries has maintained a strong momentum”.
Speaking on the Pak-China Economic Corridor, he said among the 30 early harvest projects, 16 had either been completed or were under construction. So far $14 billion had been invested in those projects creating tens of thousands of jobs for the locals.
The CPEC, he said, was designed to promote people’s livelihood and economic growth. It was not aimed at any party. “It will make the people of this region benefit from connectivity, industrial cooperation and cultural exchanges”.
The CPEC would play an active role in promoting development and prosperity of the region, he added.
The ambassador thanked the Pakistani political parties,
think-tanks, and media for supporting the China-Pakistan friendship cooperation.