LAHORE – Chinese Communist Party office-bearers, government officials and banking heads in their meetings with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in Beijing on Tuesday assured him of their full cooperation in various sectors.
Chinese leadership also expressed its willingness for investment and joint ventures on Pakistan’s own terms. They said that progress of Pakistan and the people of Punjab were very dear to China. Chairman Export and Import Bank of China, Li Rougu, while talking to Shahbaz’s delegation, said that there was no legal hindrance for Chinese financial institutions in direct investment in any province of Pakistan and his bank was ready for softening its terms for investment in infrastructure, energy and other sectors in Punjab.
He also assured cooperation of his bank for Rawalpindi Ring Road, southern section of Lahore Ring Road and construction of small dams for power generation in Punjab. Later, addressing a function, arranged by Chinese Institute of Foreign Affairs, Shahbaz Sharif said that the lofty status achieved by China in the world under the policies of Communist Party had falsified the common and popular notions of liberal democracy and the clash of civilisations and it was undeniable fact that the 21st century and the future belonged to China.
