President Mamnoon Hussain returned to capital on Saturday after his first state visit to China.
Briefing the media, Press Secretary to the President Saba Mohsin Raza said that in his first state visit to China, the president held meetings with the top leadership of China and discussed a whole gamut of issues ranging from exiting all-weather friendly strategic bilateral relations to further strengthening of these relations and from further cementing economic and trade relations to the Pak-China Economic Corridor that would prove to be a game-changer in ushering a new era of socio-economic development not only for the people of the two countries but also for the entire region.
The Chinese leadership extended a very welcome to the president and his delegation and observed that the first state visit of President Mamnoon Hussain to China clearly reflected the depth of Pak-China relations and the keen desire of the leadership and the people of the two countries to further strengthen their existing equation.
The press secretary said that during two rounds of his meeting with President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, first one-on-one meeting followed by a delegation level talks, the two leaders discussed Pak-China bilateral relations and regional and global issues of mutual interest. She said that two sides focused on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, enhancing connectivity and further cementing trade and investment ties for mutual benefit of the people of the two countries and the region.
The two presidents expressed satisfaction on the level of existing multifaceted ties and expressed keen desire to further cement these relations. They underscored the need for greater efforts in translating the existing relations into economic terms. There was complete unanimity of views that the volume of bilateral trade needs to be taken to a level commensurate with excellent ties being enjoyed by the two countries.
The two presidents also witnessed signing of five agreements of bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, regional connectivity, energy, and further promoting people-to-people contacts. They expressed the hope that the agreements signed would help to further deepen strategic partnership between the two countries.
During his meeting with Chinese premier Li Keqiang, the leadership emphasised upon further deepening the existing multifaceted strategic partnership which according to the President heralds a new era of socio-economic progress and prosperity for the people of the two countries and the region.
In his meeting with Chinese premier, President Mamnoon Hussain emphasised upon the need for greater efforts for early implementation of the mutually agreed projects and underscored the importance of enhanced connectivity between the two countries for further expanding economic and trade cooperation, promoting economic integration, and fostering economic development of the two countries besides promoting greater people-to-people contacts.
During the meetings, Mamnoon reiterated that Pak-China all-weather and time tested friendship was solidly anchored on convergence of interests, high level of mutual trust and respect and were driven by an abiding interest in the development and prosperity of each other as well as promotion of peace and stability in the region.
In his meeting with Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of National Peoples’ Congress, the president observed that friendship with China was a cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy and this friendship transcended the governmental level and permeates to the level of the people of the two countries.
The press secretary said that during his meetings, the president focused on further cementing economic and trade relations and while highlighting huge investment opportunities in Pakistan in diverse areas especially energy and infrastructure invited the Chinese investors to take advantage of the existing opportunities and invest in these sectors. We believe that an advanced infrastructure, energy and communication network linking Western China with Pakistan will revolutionise investment and trade in the adjoining regions of Pakistan and China as well as in the whole region press secretary quoted the president as saying.
The president also had a meeting with the Heads of Pakistan Study Centers in China and urged them to continue playing their role through meaningful research, publishing articles, holding seminars and exhibitions for further strengthening the existing bilateral relations and to highlight various areas, especially in trade and economy where the mutually beneficial cooperation can be further extended. The president lauded the role of the Study Centres in promoting people to people exchanges and creating greater understanding between the people of the two countries on the issues of mutual interest and concern. The president stressed upon the need to transmit glowing traditions of Pakistan-China ties to the coming generations and observed that the study centres were ideally-positioned to communicate the narrative of time-tested and all-weather friendship to the youth.
The president then travelled to Shanghai from Beijing via fast speed bullet train. The president was accorded warm welcome upon his arrival in Shanghai by the leadership of the cosmopolitan city.
In Shanghai, the president held meeting with Executive Deputy Mayor of Shanghai Tu Guangshao and Communist Party Secretary Shanghai Hang Zheng.