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Pakistan Studies/Ambassador Jiang Zaidong
Honorable Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch,
Honorable Ambassadors,
Ladies and gentlemen, friends,
Good morning.
It gives me great pleasure to gather here with all of you to commemorate the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s historic visit to Pakistan. Many of those present today were witnesses and participants of that landmark visit. On this occasion, I would like to express my sincere appreciation and highest respect to friends from all sect
ors who have made continuous contributions to promoting China–Pakistan cooperation and strengthening our all-weather friendship.
Over the past decade, China and Pakistan have continuously expanded people-to-people exchanges and enhanced mutual understanding between the two societies.
The number of China–Pakistan sister cities has increased from 8 to 19, with cooperation between local governments becoming increasingly active and diversified.
The number of Pakistani students studying in China has nearly doubled, making Pakistan one of the countries with the largest number of international students in China. Educational cooperation has become an important bridge connecting the younger generations of both countries.
A series of cultural exchange initiatives have been successfully organized, including the:
Cultural cooperation has flourished in various fields.
Pakistani film productions have entered Chinese cinemas, including the film “Parwaaz Hai Junoon” (The Flight of Courage), while the China–Pakistan co-produced film “The Girl from Pakistan” was screened in both countries.
The overseas exhibition of Gandharan cultural relics in China attracted widespread attention and provided Chinese audiences with opportunities to better understand Pakistan’s rich historical and cultural heritage.
Through these exchanges, the friendship between the Chinese and Pakistani peoples has continued to deepen, demonstrating that the foundation of China–Pakistan relations lies not only in government cooperation but also in the close bonds between the two peoples.
Over the past decade, China and Pakistan have stood together in addressing various challenges and strengthened cooperation in the security field.
The two countries have successfully conducted a series of joint military exercises and training programs, including:
China’s honor guards and the Bayi Aerobatic Team have participated in Pakistan’s National Day celebrations, further demonstrating the close friendship and cooperation between the two countries’ armed forces.
Advanced equipment and defense cooperation have also continued to develop, including the delivery of:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and worked together to protect public health and save lives.
When Pakistan experienced devastating floods caused by unprecedented climate disasters, China provided approximately US$260 million in assistance, becoming the largest contributor among individual countries.
The two governments have also signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation under the Global Security Initiative, further strengthening cooperation in maintaining regional peace and security.
Security cooperation between China and Pakistan continues to advance steadily, providing important support for Pakistan’s stability and development as well as the smooth implementation of bilateral cooperation projects.
Over the past decade, China and Pakistan have maintained close coordination within multilateral frameworks, including the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), jointly promoting international fairness and justice.
Pakistan’s leaders have attended all three Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation meetings and actively supported China’s major diplomatic initiatives.
Pakistan has also responded positively to China’s three major global initiatives:
China has consistently supported Pakistan in international affairs, upheld justice for Pakistan, and supported Pakistan’s efforts to play a greater role in regional and global issues.
China also supported Pakistan’s successful hosting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Member States, helping strengthen regional cooperation.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends,
Time has tested and strengthened our friendship. Looking back at the extraordinary journey of China–Pakistan relations over the past decade, there are several valuable lessons that deserve to be summarized and carried forward.
Over the past decade, President Xi Jinping has personally attached great importance to and promoted the development of China–Pakistan relations.
Successive Pakistani governments have consistently regarded friendship with China as a cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy.
The strong strategic guidance of leaders from both countries has provided a solid foundation for the continued development of bilateral ties.
Over the past decade, despite profound changes unseen in a century and evolving regional security challenges, China and Pakistan have always stood together, safeguarded common interests, and supported each other.
The two countries have demonstrated strong resilience and strategic trust in their partnership.
Over the past decade, China has been one of Pakistan’s most important sources of foreign investment.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, China had remained Pakistan’s largest source of foreign direct investment for seven consecutive years.
According to Pakistani statistics, China’s direct investment in Pakistan returned to the top position in 2024.
This reflects the strong confidence of Chinese enterprises in Pakistan’s development prospects and the continued expansion of economic cooperation.
Over the past decade, friendship with China has remained a broad consensus across Pakistani society and political parties.
The term “Iron Brothers” has become widely recognized in China as a symbol of the deep friendship between the two countries.
This friendship was further strengthened when China and Pakistan supported each other during the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends,
Looking back on the past decade, we feel proud of the achievements made by China and Pakistan.
Standing at a new starting point, we are full of confidence in the future.
The recent Central Conference on Work Relating to Neighboring Countries emphasized the importance of building a community with a shared future with neighboring countries and creating a new chapter in China’s neighborhood diplomacy.
We will faithfully implement the important consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and Pakistani leaders, work together with Pakistan, and accelerate the building of a closer China–Pakistan community with a shared future.
China and Pakistan will continue to remain at the forefront of efforts to build a community with a shared future among neighboring countries.
China will continue to support Pakistan in safeguarding its national sovereignty and territorial integrity, pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, and achieving unity, stability, development, and prosperity.
China is willing to work with Pakistan to fully implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries and celebrate the upcoming 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan with new achievements in bilateral cooperation.
China is willing to promote deeper alignment between the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation initiatives and Pakistan’s “5Es” development framework, jointly creating an upgraded version of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor.
The two sides will:
Through these efforts, China and Pakistan will create new engines of economic growth and bring greater benefits to both peoples.
Ten years ago, from April 20 to 21, 2015, President Xi Jinping paid a historic state visit to Pakistan. The Pakistani government and people extended the warmest welcome and the highest-level reception to President Xi. Giant national flags, enthusiastic slogans, and smiling faces everywhere created a sea of China–Pakistan friendship.
During the 28-hour visit, President Xi participated in 18 events and witnessed the signing of 51 cooperation documents, making the visit highly productive with far-reaching significance.
President Xi Jinping, together with President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan, jointly decided to elevate China–Pakistan relations to a new level of an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership featuring enduring friendship and mutual support under all circumstances. President Xi also personally established the “1+4” cooperation framework for the construction of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), opening a new chapter in the development of traditional friendship and bilateral relations.
During the visit, President Xi held meetings and discussions with Pakistan’s national leaders, parliamentary representatives, military leadership, and political party leaders. He also met with representatives of Pakistani friendship organizations and individuals dedicated to promoting China–Pakistan relations and presented them with the Friendship Award of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.
President Xi delivered an important speech at the Parliament of Pakistan. His speech, lasting more than 30 minutes, received more than 50 rounds of applause from parliamentarians. In that important address, President Xi proposed continuously enriching the meaning of a China–Pakistan community with a shared future and making bilateral cooperation an example for building an Asian community with a shared future.
Over the past decade, guided by this important vision, China and Pakistan have steadily advanced the construction of a closer China–Pakistan community with a shared future.
Over the past decade, leaders of China and Pakistan have maintained close exchanges through mutual visits and meetings on various international occasions. The two countries’ heads of state and government have met on numerous occasions, while high-level exchanges and institutional dialogues have continued to provide strategic guidance and strong momentum for China–Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperation.
China and Pakistan have consistently provided firm mutual support on issues concerning each other’s core interests and major concerns.
Pakistan’s commitment to the One-China principle has set an example in the international community, while China has always supported Pakistan in safeguarding its national sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.
The two countries have become reliable partners that trust and support each other.
Over the past decade, China has remained Pakistan’s largest trading partner, while the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor has transformed from a vision into tangible achievements.
Major progress has been made in a wide range of cooperation areas:
The Karachi Nuclear Power Plants K-2 and K-3 have been completed and put into operation, while the construction of the C-5 nuclear power project has commenced.
The two countries have also expanded financial cooperation, including increasing the scale of local currency swaps between central banks and establishing RMB clearing arrangements in Pakistan.
Comprehensive cooperation between China and Pakistan continues to expand and deepen, significantly strengthening Pakistan’s economic development capacity and resilience.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends,
The world today is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, and China–Pakistan cooperation is facing both new opportunities and increasing risks and challenges.
China is willing to work together with Pakistan to actively implement the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation under the Global Security Initiative, deepen cooperation in law enforcement and security fields, and assist Pakistan in strengthening its counterterrorism capabilities.
China firmly supports Pakistan’s efforts to advance its National Action Plan for Counterterrorism and address various traditional and non-traditional security threats.
The two sides will continue to enhance security cooperation, safeguard regional peace and stability, and provide a secure environment for economic development and practical cooperation between China and Pakistan.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends,
The friendship between China and Pakistan is rooted in the hearts of the two peoples.
China is willing to work with Pakistan to further expand exchanges and cooperation between sister cities, think tanks, media organizations, women’s groups, and religious communities.
We will make better use of existing resources, including:
to support outstanding Pakistani students in pursuing further studies in China and help Pakistan transform its demographic advantages into human resource strengths.
China will also implement more small but impactful livelihood projects to improve the well-being of ordinary people in Pakistan.
These projects include:
At the same time, China and Pakistan will continue to strengthen cooperation in literature, film, and television.
China welcomes more outstanding Pakistani cultural works and films, while encouraging more Chinese cultural products to reach Pakistani audiences.
Through cultural exchanges, the two civilizations — the Chinese civilization and the Islamic civilization — will achieve greater mutual learning, mutual appreciation, and shared development.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends,
This year, China will host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit, while Pakistan has assumed its responsibilities as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations.
Facing the rise of unilateralism, protectionism, and acts of power politics, China and Pakistan, as important members of the Global South, should continue strengthening coordination and cooperation.
The two countries will jointly uphold:
Together, China and Pakistan will continue contributing to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends,
Ten years ago, while addressing Pakistani parliamentarians, President Xi Jinping quoted a Pakistani proverb:
“The wind does not always blow in the direction that sailors wish.”
However, President Xi emphasized that:
“As long as our hearts are always directed toward the aspirations of the peoples of our two countries, and our efforts are always focused on the goals shared by our peoples, we will surely overcome all difficulties and obstacles on the road ahead.”
President Xi further stated that:
“The China–Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership will continue to develop with broader fields, richer dimensions, and deeper meaning.”
Ten years later, these words remain an important strategic guide for advancing China–Pakistan relations.
Today, standing at a new historical starting point, let us work hand in hand, remain united, overcome challenges together, and continue building a closer China–Pakistan community with a shared future.
Let us work together to create an even brighter future for the China–Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and bring greater benefits to the peoples of both countries.
