ISLAMABAD: The already strongest ties between Pakistan and China will go a long way with the realization and completion of the projects initiated for the mutual benifits of the people of the two countries.
Former Chinese ambassador to Pakistan Lu Shulin said this on Friday at a roundtable organized by the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS.
Lu Shulin, who is part of a Chinese delegation which is currently visiting Pakistan, said that the people of his country viewed Pakistan as China's brother. The two countries' friendship is an all-weather and time-tested, he added.
He said that the construction of a railway link or laying energy pipelines between China and Pakistan were though difficult tasks, but achievable. The realization of dreams in this regard is only a matter of time, he added.
Lu called the Karakoram Highway (KKH) a symbol of Pak-China friendship and assured that the Chinese government would help resolve the problems arising due to the KKH blockade by Attabad Lake.
"Roads, railways, energy infrastructure, and ports are a must for economic progress," he said. He said that Chinese companies were interested in investing in Pakistan. He, however, urged the Pakistani government to improve security situation.
Ambassador Zhao Gang, another former Chinese ambassador to Pakistan and head of the visiting delegation, said that China's relationship with Pakistan is a mutually beneficial partnership.
He saw a great space for cooperation in the fields of energy and economy and infrastructure development.
Zhao stressed the need for implementation of the existing agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between the two countries.
On the subject of the future of Afghanistan, Ambassador Zhao said that China wanted a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan.
He said that China wanted to see good Indo-Pak and Pak-US relations, as long as maintaining those good relations did not come at the cost of compromising Pakistan's vital interests.
President of IRS Ashraf Azim said China and Pakistan can strengthen people-to-people contacts by promoting student and youth exchange programmes.
Brig. Bashir Ahmed, Senior Fellow at IRS, called for enhanced cooperation between the two countries in the fields of infrastructure development, urban planning, and bilateral trade.
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