Shehbaz meets Chinese vice foreign minister in Beijing

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui in Beijing on Tuesday. Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said that Pak-China friendship is a precious asset of every Pakistani, and added that completion of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will change the destiny of the region.

He said that implementation of CPEC projects will result in promotion of exports of Pakistan and different countries of the region as well as create job opportunities besides curbing the trend of extremism. He said that Pakistan has always supported China on ‘One China Policy’, Tibet as well as regional and international issues.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui said that China has always stood by Pakistan and will continue to help Pakistan achieve progress and prosperity. He said that China will extend all out cooperation to Pakistan in increase productive capacity of industrial sector and this cooperation will also include construction of industries and transfer of technology. He said that Pakistan will be among China’s priorities in the programme of shifting of Chinese industries to other countries and will assist Pakistan in any industrial sector.

Shehbaz Sharif, while addressing signing ceremony of different agreements and memorandums of understanding between different government and private companies of China and Pakistan at Pakistan Embassy in Beijing, said that Pakistani traders and industrialists have a golden opportunity in the form of Chinese cooperation and they should benefit from it for promotion of mutual trade and progress and prosperity of Pakistan.

As many as seven agreements and 17 MoUs were signed at the ceremony. These agreements pertain to textile industry, establishment of industrial estates, training of master trainers in different skills, promotion of trade fairs and exhibitions, energy, infrastructure and water treatment and other sectors. Shehbaz Sharif said that in the background of Pak-China cooperation, a new history will be written in the form of implementation of these agreements.

The chief minister further said that pace of implementation of development projects in Pakistan under CPEC is unprecedented. He said that Chinese President Xi Jinping came to Pakistan in April 2015 and different agreements were signed. Then, he said, speedy implementation of these agreements started and these projects are being completed at an extraordinary pace. Addressing Pakistani industrialists and traders signing the agreements, he said, government and people of Pakistan expect from them to work on these agreement at the same speed.

Meanwhile, the chief minister while talking to the representatives of Chinese print and electronic media, news agencies and radio in Pakistan embassy in Beijing, said that Pak-China love and friendship is based on golden principle of honesty, trust and transparency. He said that people of China and Pakistan should learn each other’s languages as it will bring them closer.

The chief Minister further told that a number of Pakistani boy and girl students learning Chinese language in China will be increased next year. Addressing Pakistani boy and girl students in Pakistan Embassy in Beijing, Shehbaz Sharif said that Punjab government has sent them to China at its expenses to learn Chinese language. He said that Pakistani students are very talented and learning of Chinese language is the need of the hour.

Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif also met President Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Jin Liqun in Beijing. He while giving assurance of provision of funds on priority basis for the projects being completed with Chinese cooperation said that experience of Chinese financial institutions working in Pakistan has been very good and there will be no shortage of resources for the projects in future as well.

The chief minister, while speaking on the occasion said that due to provision of resources by the Chinese banks, the pace of work on the projects is enviable and every penny of funds is being spent with honesty. He said that completion of projects with Chinese cooperation will benefit the Pakistani people.

Shehbaz meets NDRC vice chairman:

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Vice Chairman National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) Nuer Baikeli in Beijing. The pace of progress on projects under CPEC was discussed in the meeting. The chief minister said that CPEC projects are guarantee to progress and prosperity of Pakistan. He said that work is being carried out with commitment and speed on CPEC projects, and added that CPEC will prove to be a milestone in the progress and prosperity of people of Pakistan.

Vice Chairman NDRC expressed satisfaction over the speed of implementation of projects and assured that cooperation will be continued in this regard in future as well.

A meeting was also held between Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chairman of a prominent Chinese group in energy sector Huaneng Cao Peixi in Pakistan embassy in Beijing. Shehbaz Sharif thanked Chairman of Huaneng group for speedy work on Sahiwal Coal Power Plant. Chairman Huaneng expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made by Punjab government and said that his group is ready to work on more mega projects in Punjab. The chief minister said that all out measures have been taken for the security of Chinese nationals in Punjab and that Sahiwal Coal Power Project will prove to be a splendid example of Pak-China friendship.

Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif also met National Energy Administration’s Administrator Noor Bakri. The administrator said that the pace of work on power projects in Punjab is unprecedented in the history of the world. The chief minister said that completion of power projects is mission of the government. He said that Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) government has furthered power projects with hard work.

The chief minister also visited command and control centre of Transport Management Centre of Beijing, Public Security Bureau. He inspected various sections of Beijing Public Security Bureau. A briefing was also given to the chief minister on the occasion.