President Asif Zardari said on Friday that Pakistan desires to promote closer collaboration with China in the fields of agriculture, irrigation, security, energy, railways and infrastructure development.
The president stated this during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Liu Jian post the conferment of the Hilal-e-Quaid-e-Azam award upon the Chinese envoy during a special investiture ceremony held here at Bilawal House.
According to citation read on the occasion, the award was conferred on the Chinese envoy in recognition of his meritorious services to the cause of strengthening Pak-China relations.
Taking pride in the time-tested friendship with China, the president expressed satisfaction over the current volume of bilateral trade that had touched the $12.4 billion mark in 2012 and had increased threefold since 2008.
Appreciating China’s economic support and assistance to the socio-economic development of the country, President Zardari stressed the need for investing in Pak-China friendship by enhancing interaction between the people of both the countries.
The citation further stated that Jian had played a pivotal role in furthering, strengthening and expanding the strategic ties between the two friendly countries during his three-year tenure in the country and that the ambassador devoted his energies to forge ties in the fields of defence, strategic relations, culture, sports and people-to-people contacts.
It also mentioned that Gwadar Port Project, which was a hall mark of Pak-China strategic partnership, was handed over to a Chinese company during the ambassador’s tenure.
Jian being a great friend of Pakistan would be remembered for his commitment to strengthen bilateral relations in multiple fields, the citation added.
Later, the Chinese ambassador also called on President Zardari and discussed matters relating to Pak-China bilateral relations.
According to Presidential Spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar, the president while congratulating the Chinese ambassador on the conferment of the award, appreciated the invaluable contributions made by him during his three years tenure as ambassador in Pakistan.
President Zardari said the high level visits and frequent interaction between the leadership of the two countries was a testimony of Jian’s untiring efforts to further enhance the close and brotherly ties between the two Asian countries.
Furthermore, the president said the ambassador was instrumental in bringing in Chinese investment in various Pakistani sectors including infrastructure, energy, communications and agriculture.
Moreover, the president said that the people and Government of Pakistan highly valued fraternal relations with China that was demonstrated by the fact that the government and people of China had always stood by them in times of distress.
He said the two countries would always stand together under all circumstances.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Jian thanked the president and Pakistani government for decorating him with the award and assured that he would continue to be a friend of Pakistan and play his role to further solidify Pak-China bilateral ties.
The investiture ceremony was also attended by Sindh caretaker CM Sindh Justice (r) Zahid Alvi, Presidential Spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar, Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jillani, ministers, members of diplomatic community, senior officials of Chinese embassy and other senior officials.