by Zafar Hussain

BEIJING, Mar. 2 (China Economic Net) - China and Pakistan have kicked off the celebrations to mark the 70 years of diplomatic ties and comprehensive cooperation between the two friendly countries.

In an impressive ceremony on Tuesday, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi formally commenced activities to celebrate 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and the People’s Republic of China. The virtual ceremony was simultaneously held in Islamabad and Beijing and was attended by high-ranking officials from both sides.

Speaking on the occasion, Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi underscored that, “we pay tribute to the Chinese leadership, which has done an incredible job in changing its people's lives and destiny.”

"We believe that President Xi Jinping’s leadership, at a momentous history, has greatly helped China achieve its national aspirations”. Foreign Minister added that, “successive generations of leaders and people of both Pakistan and China made invaluable contributions to strengthen these ties.” Qureshi also reaffirmed that CPEC was set to become a High-Quality Demonstration Project of BRI.

At the ceremony, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi underlined that the Pakistan-China friendship has a time-honored history and in the 7 decades, the two countries have stood together in rain or shine and built an amazing, iron-clad friendship.

A logo was launched at the ceremony epitomizing the historic nature of Pakistan-China ties. On the special occasion of the 70th anniversary, both sides have planned a series of events, including people-to-people exchanges, spread over the entire year to commemorate this historic milestone in a befitting manner.

To mark the historic occasion, both Foreign Ministers authored articles that were published today highlighting how the two countries have solidified and deepened their “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership” over seven decades, despite vicissitudes of times and changes in the international system.

The year 2021 marks the completion of 70 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and the People’s Republic of China, which was established on 21 May 1951.