Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday called on Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing in Islamabad. He also presented a bouquet to him and expressed good wishes on his posting to Pakistan.
During the meeting, different matters of mutual interest including promotion of bilateral relations and extension of mutual cooperation in different sectors including the CPEC project came under discussion.
Talking to the Punjab chief minister, the Chinese ambassador said that Pak-China friendship and bilateral cooperation were expanding at every passing moment and commended his efforts for promoting friendship between Pakistan and China. He said that Shehbaz Sharif was a visionary leader and the title of Punjab Speed was the result of his untiring efforts and unusual performance as the Punjab Speed has emerged as a reality. The credit of overcoming the energy crisis by completing the electricity generating projects through the Punjab Speed went to him.
He said that performance of the Punjab government reflected the public sentiments under his leadership and added that he has worked hard to promote Pak-China friendship and implementation of the CPEC project. His commitment and performance was unforgettable in this regard, he added. He said that CPEC projects were being completed speedily in Punjab under the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
He said that Pakistan and China were trustworthy friends and CPEC project was a reflection of development vision of the leadership of both the countries. This project has given new dimensions to Pak-China relations, he added.
Talking on the occasion, the chief minister said that Pak-China friendship was a glowing example of peace, love, cooperation and unwavering passions. The gigantic CPEC project has written a new history of economic development and other countries of the region will also get benefit from this initiative. CPEC has opened new avenues of development in Pakistan, he added. The CM said that there was no example of speedy and transparent completion of schemes under the CPEC in Pakistan. The CPEC project has given new heights to relations between the two countries.
It is a gigantic project whose benefits have started to appear. He said that load-shedding has been eliminated in Pakistan due to the completion of energy projects in a record period of time and pointed out that 1320-megawatt Sahiwal Coal Power Plant has been completed six months before the timeline. He said that Chinese President Xi Jinping has given a wonderful vision of belt and road while the journey of friendly relations between Pakistan and China spans over six decades and now this friendship has become an example of its own. In fact, the Pak-China friendship is touching new destinations, he added.
He said that China has been standing along with Pakistan like a solid rock on political and diplomatic fronts. During the tenure of the PML-N government, Pak-China relations have been further expanded and strengthened as both the countries are conjoined twins in the immortal relations of mutual love and respect. China has proved itself as a true friend of Pakistan by helping it in difficult situations and the Pakistani nation cannot return back this great benefaction. He said the whole nation is thankful to the Chinese leadership and the people for their fullest support and investment and shall always remember this unique Chinese cooperation while the friendship will remain intact forever. He said that the immoral Pak-China friendship has entered into a new phase of durable relations and the people of Pakistan are proud of full confidence and economic cooperation of China.
It is hoped that your stay in Pakistan will further promote friendly relations and new opportunities of bilateral engagements will be developed, he added. The Chief Minister said that progress on joint ventures in different sectors is going on successfully due to the high-level friendly relations and trade cooperation between the two countries and due to it, various employment and business opportunities are being created. He also commended the investments made by heads of Chinese companies in Pakistan and trust of the leadership of People’s Republic China.