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Pakistan Studies/Published by the Pakistan Research Center, Inner Mongolia Honder College of Arts and Sciences
On 19 September 2024, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended and addressed the reception hosted by the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Pakistan to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. During his remarks, the Prime Minister highly praised the enduring friendship between Pakistan and China, reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation, and extended warm National Day greetings to the Chinese people.
The reception brought together senior Pakistani government officials, diplomats, members of the business community, representatives of Chinese enterprises, academics, media professionals, and friends of China and Pakistan to celebrate the longstanding partnership between the two countries.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif noted that Pakistan and China have enjoyed 73 years of diplomatic relations, during which the two countries have consistently supported one another through changing regional and international circumstances.
He described the bilateral relationship as a unique example of mutual trust and strategic cooperation, referring to the traditional friendship between the two nations as being "higher than the mountains and deeper than the oceans."
The Prime Minister recalled his official visit to China in June 2024, during which he met with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. He stated that the visit was highly successful and demonstrated the exceptional level of political mutual trust and the enduring "iron-clad" friendship shared by the two countries.
Prime Minister Shehbaz reiterated Pakistan's commitment to maintaining close cooperation with China and emphasized the importance of the China–Pakistan partnership for regional peace, economic development, and shared prosperity.
He expressed appreciation for China's longstanding support for Pakistan's economic and social development, noting that Chinese assistance and investment have played an important role in infrastructure construction, energy development, industrial cooperation, and capacity building.
According to the Prime Minister, the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Pakistan and China continues to provide significant benefits not only for the two countries but also for regional stability and broader international cooperation.
A major focus of the Prime Minister's address was the continued development of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
He observed that during the eleven years since its launch, CPEC has contributed substantially to Pakistan's infrastructure modernization, energy security, transportation networks, and economic development.
Looking ahead, he emphasized that the second phase of CPEC will prioritize higher-quality, innovation-driven cooperation in several key sectors, including:
The Prime Minister expressed confidence that expanding cooperation in these areas would further improve Pakistan's economic competitiveness while creating new opportunities for investment, employment, and technological advancement.
Prime Minister Shehbaz highlighted the importance of deepening practical cooperation between the two countries across multiple sectors.
He emphasized that Pakistan hopes to work closely with China to:
These initiatives, he noted, will contribute to building an "upgraded version" of CPEC that is more sustainable, innovation-oriented, and beneficial to the people of both countries.
During his speech, Prime Minister Shehbaz praised China's remarkable achievements in economic development, poverty reduction, scientific innovation, and global influence.
He remarked that China has become one of the world's leading powers and an indispensable contributor to global development.
Expressing Pakistan's appreciation for the bilateral relationship, he stated that Pakistan is proud to count China among its closest friends and strategic partners.
On behalf of the Government and people of Pakistan, he extended sincere congratulations to the Chinese people on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, wishing China continued prosperity and progress.
Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for attending the National Day reception and reaffirmed China's commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation.
The Ambassador noted that, under the strategic guidance of the leaders of both countries, China and Pakistan have consistently demonstrated mutual understanding, mutual respect, mutual trust, and mutual support throughout more than seven decades of diplomatic relations.
He emphasized China's willingness to continue working with Pakistan to advance modernization and sustainable development through expanded cooperation in:
The Ambassador expressed confidence that both countries will continue promoting the high-quality development of CPEC and deepen the China–Pakistan All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership in the new era.
China and Pakistan continue to regard one another as close strategic partners with shared interests in economic development, regional connectivity, and mutually beneficial cooperation. As CPEC enters its second phase, both governments have emphasized greater collaboration in innovation, industrialization, agriculture, digital transformation, and private-sector engagement.
The continued commitment expressed by leaders of both countries reflects the strong momentum of bilateral relations and the shared aspiration to create new opportunities for sustainable development, regional prosperity, and long-term friendship.
