ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Saturday said China and Pakistan would set up a new energy cooperation mechanism to promote cooperation in conventional, renewable and civil nuclear energy.
“We have identified 36 projects for the next Pak-China five-year development programme (2012-2016). These include major projects in education, health, energy, information and communications technologies (ICT), transport, agriculture, and water conservancy. Our goals are to double our trade from the current $7 billion to $15 billion in the shortest possible time,” he said while addressing a 100-member Chinese youth delegation that called on him at the Prime Minister’s House. Gilani said China’s priority was to participate in the reconstruction efforts in the flood-affected areas, agriculture, highway networks, energy and finance and banking.
“2011 is a special year for Pakistan and China. Premier Wen Jiabao and I designated it as Pakistan-China Friendship Year because this year we are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the smooth, successful and ever blooming diplomatic relations between our two countries with a special focus on youth,” he added.
He said the contacts between the universities, think tanks, mass media, and film and television would be increased between both the friendly countries. “We will send 100 middle and high school students to China for a better understanding of the Chinese way of life,” he added.
“Right now, there are 6,000 students in China. We want to increase their number to 10,000 as the Chinese educational institutions are becoming more attractive for Pakistani students. I am grateful to Premier Wen for announcing 500 government scholarships for Pakistani students,” he added.
He said the Confucius Institute was working successfully to create awareness about the Chinese culture in Pakistan. “In education, our focus is on science and technology, applied sciences and promotion of learning of Chinese and Urdu languages,” Gilani said.
“I invite you to meet your counterparts and peers in Pakistan and assess for yourself how strong Pakistan-China bonds are. You will also discover that Pakistan is a moderate, tolerant, and democratic country. Young men and women of Pakistan are as dynamic as you are. We are trying to create an environment where they will be as successful as you are,” he concluded.
