RAWALPINDI, Apr 18 (APP):An Uzbek government delegation headed by Lieutenant General Makhmudov Victor
Vladimirovich, Secretary Security Council under the President, Uzbekistan
called on General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) on Wednesday at
General Headquarters (GHQ).
During the meeting matters of mutual interest including security situation in the
region were discussed, said a statement issued here by Inter-Services Public
Relations (ISPR).
The visiting delegation acknowledged and appreciated Pakistan Army’s sincere
efforts and sacrifices in the war against terrorism and for stability in the region.
The Uzbek side underlined the need for actualizing the great potential for cooperation
among the two brotherly countries in all fields including trade, connectivity,
security and military-to-military cooperation.
The COAS thanked the delegation for their sentiments and assured full cooperation and
support from Pakistan in all initiatives aimed at improving regional
cooperation, peace and stability.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 18 (APP):National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage will meet on Thursday (tomorrow) to hold discussion on the updates regarding establishment of new channels PTV Kids and PTV Parliament.
The meeting to be chaired by Pir Aslam Bodla will also given briefing on recently announced film and culture policy.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 18 (APP):A Pakistani Australian engineer who helps refugees start their own business in Australia has been awarded Commonwealth Young Person of the Year at a forum in London’s QE2 Centre.
Eighteen months after launching the programme, Usman Iftikhar has been awarded Commonwealth’s highest honour for young achievers.
He was presented with the award by Commonwealth’s newly appointed youth ambassador Prince Harry.
Iftikhar, who represented Australia at the forum, conceptualised the idea of helping refugees and migrants find job opportunities based on his own struggle after moving to Australia in 213, private news channel reported.
Born in Pakistan, Iftikhar completed his Bachelor’s degree from GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences & Technology and then moved to Australia to do his Master’s in engineering
management.
“After finishing a Masters Degree with Distinction at University of Wollongong, I had high hopes and big ambitions for my career. I had all the right ingredients on my resume yet, faced a major roadblock to finding any meaningful work in Australia,” he wrote in a post for Medium.
“After a couple of years of trial and tribulations I realised that this problem was systemic and bigger than my personal experience,” he added.
He then co-founded Catalysr, which aims to help migrants and refugees develop their own business plans and make money using the skills they already have.
“Catalysr is the first startup incubator for refugees and migrants in Australia, enabling them to start their own business, create jobs for themselves and others and be in control of their own destiny,” according to Iftikhar.
“Our approach is to provide an alternate pathway to people and unleash their untapped potential to help change the landscape not just for them but also their communities. We aim to provide the right conditions to accelerate that chain reaction in their life,” he says.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 18 (APP):President Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Masood Khan said Kashmir has over 8800 mega watts potential for hydropower generation on its watercourses.
Talking to a Chinese delegation, he said nearly 2,400 MW would be available towards the end of the year after the full utilization of the capacity of the Neelum-Jhelum Project.
The Chinese delegation led by Qiu Jiangwei, Vice President Chongqing Water Turbine Works (CWTW) Company informed the President that their company is already working on projects in various parts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and further expressed his interest in expanding their investment portfolio in the hydropower production sector in Azad Kashmir, said a press release.
Specializing in supplying turbines for small and micro-dams, Qiu said that they are ready to finance projects in AJK in view of the huge potential of hydropower production potential. He said that CWTW would also like to invest in upgradation, rehabilitation and maintenance of existing power projects in AJK.
The President on the occasion welcomed the delegation saying that Azad Kashmir and China share cordial working relations especially in the fields of hydropower production and infrastructure development.
The President said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor has helped reshape the economic landscape of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. “Pakistan and China have planned to take initiatives for regional development and economic progress and CPEC will prove to be a huge stimulus in this regard. Azad Kashmir will remain an integral part of these economic megaprojects.”

ISLAMABAD, Apr 18 (APP):Prominent scholars said that mounting isolationism, protectionism and military actions affecting global unity, the world faces a pressing task of sticking together through President Xi Jinping’s proposal of creating a common community with a shared future for mankind, said a report published in China Daily.

They have shed their light at the second edition of Vision China, a series of public events organized by China Daily, at the Hangzhou International Expo Center on Sunday. Following the event was the awards ceremony of the 2018 Grand Final of the China Daily 21st Century Cup National English Speaking Competition.

“This is the vision,” David Gosset, an expert in international relations and founder of the Europe-China Foundation, said in reference to Xi’s proposal of creating a common community with a shared future for mankind.”

The contrast is clear: There is one country today in the world, led by a man. This country is the biggest economy in the world. This man is shifting from multilateralism to unilateralism, which is not the right path.”

Addressing an audience of more than 1,500, both from home and abroad, at the center, which was the venue for the G20 summit chaired by Xi in September 2016, Gosset said: “You all know, I am talking about the United States of America and Donald Trump.”

In an interview before his address, Gosset said the rapid deterioration of the global situation in recent weeks, such as trade tensions and airstrikes in Syria by the United States, France and UK, has brought the world into what he called, “Cold War 2.0.”

“However, we must remember China and President Xi made intellectual contributions and the world should join this force of uniting us for a better future,” Gosset said. “This vision doesn’t divide us; it unites us.”

Lu Li’an, vice-director of the College of Foreign Languages and Literature at Fudan University and Greg Fountain, a China Daily senior journalist, shared their perspectives on building a community with a shared future for mankind.

In her opening remarks, Ge Huijun, chairwoman of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, said the major initiative of “advancing the building of a community with a shared future” put forward by Xi five years ago has become a bright flag to guide the world trend and the direction of human progress amid changing international situations.

Xu Liyi, mayor of Hangzhou, said the concept of “a community with shared future” put forward by Xi provides Chinese wisdom and solutions to tackling common challenges, promoting world peace and development and facilitating common prosperity.

The concept of the community of a shared future for mankind, raised by Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, has sparked widespread echoes from people around the world, said Zhou Shuchun, publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily.

“As China moves into its new era, I believe, the implications of the idea will be further revealed to the world, and inspire people from all over the world to actively participate in the endeavor of building a better world,” Zhou said, adding that it also needs the active involvement on the part of youth.

He said that China Daily will continue to sponsor the 21st Century Cup national English speaking competition to better serve as a bridge and platform to raise the cross-culture and cross-language capabilities of China’s youth and expand their global perspectives and horizons.

In her speech, Lu, who also is president of Shanghai Taiwan Compatriots Friendship Association, interpreted her understanding of the relationship between individuals and the group under the background of a shared community.

“We can share cultures by being open-minded and difference-friendly. We can share social values and ethical observations by not being self-important and all-imposing. We can share educational devotion and technological development by embracing cooperation rather than competition,” Lu said.

This world belongs to all who breathe and live on this planet, and people should not be afraid of the unknown and the different, Lu said.

“And instead, we should honor the lessons of history earned the hard way, learn to be kind, wise, and humble and learn to share to build a better world,” she said.

Fountain shared with the audience his experiences at China Daily by hosting the “Good Luck China” and “Decoding The New Era” videos, which provided him with rich opportunities to witness China’s breakthroughs in reform and opening-up.

Fountain also explained his understanding of China’s development in internet industries, scientific and technological innovations, ecological conservation and the country’s contributions in promoting the Belt and Road Initiative and participating in global governance.

“The objective of shaping a community of shared future for mankind is something more than just a slogan. It’s a maxim for the whole world, not just China, to live by,” Fountain said.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 18 (APP):The second event of Vision China, a series of talks organized by China Daily, was held at the Hangzhou International Expo Center in Hangzhou, East China’s Zhejiang province on Sunday titled “Shared Future, Better World,” coincided with the awards ceremony of the 2018 Grand Final of the China Daily “21st Century Cup” National English Speaking Competition, said a report published in China Daily.

During the event, David Gosset, founder of the Europe-China Forum; Lu Li’an, vice-director of the College of Foreign Languages and Literature at Fudan University, and China Daily senior journalist Greg Fountain shared their perspectives on building a community with a shared future for mankind to an audience of more than 1,500, both from home and abroad.

Ge Huijun, chairwoman of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and director of the publicity department of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said in the opening remarks that the major initiative of “advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind” put forward by President Xi Jinping five years ago has become a bright flag to guide this world trend and the direction of human progress amid changing international situations.

Entering the new era, the province will take good advantage of the timing that marks the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up and the country’s Belt and Road Initiative, and focus on opening-up to make further breakthroughs, she said.

“Zhejiang will make its effort to create new advantages in opening up to both the country and the world and write a new chapter of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era,” she said.

Deputy Secretary of the Hangzhou Committee of the CPC Xu Liyi, who also is the city’s mayor, said the concept of “a community with a shared future for mankind” provides Chinese wisdom and solutions to tackling common challenges of human society, promoting world peace and development, and facilitating common prosperity.

Hangzhou has made continuous efforts in deepening reform and opening-up, promoting innovation-driven development and serving the Belt and Road Initiative in the past few years by constructing one of the country’s bases of cross-border e-commerce and initiating collaborations with the 101 countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. “We’ll continue to contribute more Hangzhou wisdom, power and practices in promoting the formation of a new pattern of opening and shaping a community of a shared future,” Xu said.

The concept of the community of a shared future for mankind, raised by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, has sparked widespread echoes from people around the world,said Zhou Shuchun, publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily.

“As China moves into its New Era, I believe, the implications of the idea will be further revealed to the world, and inspire people from all over the world to actively participate in the endeavor of building a better world,” Zhou said, adding that it also needs the active involvement on the part of youth.

In his speech, Gosset said since Xi became China’s highest leader in 2012, the country has not only continued to inject dynamics into global economic growth but also share its “intellectual contributions” to beef up the multilateral global governance structure, which have been under threat.

He said among the impressive ideas is Xi’s proposal of building a community of a shared future for mankind, which is in contrast with some powers’ actions of advocating isolationism, unilateralism and protectionism.

Gosset said the global fears and threats brought by the world’s big demographic pressure, and reverse trends of globalization and climate change, have made Xi’s proposal of building a community of a shared future of mankind matter. To relieve such fears and threats, the world needs to look at how it can really build this community of a shared future, which are the “right answers”, Gosset said.

In her speech, Lu, who also is president of the Shanghai Taiwan Compatriots Friendship Association, interpreted her understanding of the relationship between individuals and the group under the background of the shared community.

“We can share cultures by being open-minded and difference-friendly. We can share social values and ethical observations by not being self-important and all-imposing. We can share educational devotion and technological development by embracing cooperation rather than competition,” Lu said.

Fountain shared his experiences of working at China Daily as host of the Good Luck China and Decoding The New Era videos, which provided him with rich opportunities to witness China’s breakthroughs in reform and opening-up, internet industries, scientific and technological innovations, and ecological conservation, and feel the country’s significant contributions in promoting the Belt and Road Initiative and participating in global governance.

“The objective of shaping a community of a shared future for mankind is something more than just a slogan. It’s a maxim for the whole world, not just China, to live by,” he said.

The event also was attended by Wang Guoqing, vice-chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the 12th National Committee of the CPPCC and spokesman of the first session of the 13th National Committee of the CPPCC; Tang Wensheng, vice-president of the China Academy of Translation; Zhang Jianmin, head of the translation and interpretation department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Qu Yingpu, deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily; Ju Chaohui, deputy director of the publicity department of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee, Qi Xiaohu, publicity chief of Hangzhou; Chen Hongying, vice mayor of Hangzhou; Chen Chunlei, Party secretary of Hangzhou Normal University; Xu Qingsen, vice-director of the Department of Higher Education of the Ministry of Education; Lord Paul Boateng, chairman of The English-Speaking Union, and Dr Ester J. de Jong, president of the TESOL International Association.

The same day also witnessed the awards ceremony of the China Daily “21st Century Cup” National English Speaking Competition. Zang Yingjie from Qufu Normal University, Ni Kan from Fudan University, Xiong Ziqing from Shanghai International Studies University (SISU), won the first, second and third prizes, respectively. Zang Yingjie and Wang Huichen from the Shanghai Foreign Language School affiliated to SISU won the titles for the “Most Promising Award”. They will represent China at the international English speaking competition held in London in May.

The Vision China event was co-organized by China Daily and Hangzhou municipal government. Each event in the series of talks picks a China-related theme with a global perspective and invites key opinion leaders from home and abroad to share their views and interact with the audience.

ISLAMABAD, Apr 18 (APP):The second part of Vision China, a series of talks organized by China Daily, was held at the Hangzhou International Expo Center on in which the Founder of the Europe-China Forum David Gosset, Vice Director of the College of Foreign Languages and Literature at Fudan University Lu Li’an and China Daily journalist Greg Fountain presented their thoughts on building a community with a shared future for mankind to an audience of more than 1,500 from home and abroad, said a report published in China Daily..

Some foreign attendees also gave their views on the event after listening to the presentations: Daria Kuzhetcoud
from Russia said, “I think Vision China is very useful, especially for foreigners, to let them know more about China’s development. Chinese culture has attracted more and more foreigners, and China has become very popular in the world. I really liked the speech by David Gosset and his idea about China’s renaissance.”

Kamal Neupane from Nepal said, “I think the theme “a community of shared future for mankind” is very positive. It’s very new and humanitarian. I think the concept reflects China’s role as a world leader. I look forward to the realization of this community.”

Abdelvahman Ayad from Egypt said, “I think Vision China is very interesting and informative. I came here today to learn more about China. The three speakers are very unique in their fields; their speeches were all impressive.”

Gubaidulin Vlad from Russia said, “It is the first time I have taken part in this kind of event. It was good. I liked the theme of Vision China, and the speech of David Gosset, from which we could learn a lot.”

Zdenek Balas from Switzerland said, “This is a very important concept. Based on the idea of a community of shared future for mankind, countries in the world can cooperate with each other to promote development and make the world a better place. Through cooperation we can resolve a lot of problems, so it’s very important.”

Dasol Kim from South Korea said, “A community of shared future for mankind is a very important concept. A community of shared future for mankind, for me, means different countries will learn from each other’s cultures and share their advanced technologies, to make our world better and better. This is a really great concept.”

Ahmed Iqbal, a civil servant from Pakistan said, “The community of a shared future is a good idea, and the Belt and Road Initiative is an important project. Based on this great concept, China and Pakistan have achieved much in economic cooperation, which definitely benefits both countries. Thanks to these great ideas, our world will be better and better.”

Vladislav from Russia said, “I liked the speeches today, they were inspiring and informative. The event brought people together to talk not just about shared future, but also aspirations of mankind. I especially like the phrase “let’s promote the cooperation, not the competition. It may actually help trigger discussions about our interdependence.”