by Mariam Raheem

A celebration for 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan was held through a combination of online and offline on Thursday. Students from University of Punjab have recorded various fantastic performances, such as singing Chinese songs, dances, etc to commemorate the day. Videos are still being solicited.

The event was jointly held by Lahore Overseas Chinese Association (LOCA) and Confucius Institute at University of Punjab (CIPU). Mr. Luo Qiang, President LOCA said in his remarks that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan on May 21, 1951, people of the two countries have shared weal and woe, and forged a profound friendship through mutual help. The association has witnessed great opportunities for cooperation brought about by Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in trade, logistics, education, and so on. The title of "Iron Brothers" truly reflects the sincere and pure friendship between both countries.

Mr. Cai Jinbao, Chinese Director of CIPU, underlined that in the new historical period, China and Pakistan should further strengthen exchanges and cooperation, share experiences, and promote common economic and social development. CIPU undertakes the mission of spreading Chinese excellent traditional culture and telling Chinese stories. In the future, it will strengthen cooperation with various departments of University of Punjab to expand the scale of Chinese teaching, so that more young Pakistanis will have the opportunity to learn Chinese and Chinese culture.

“At the same time, we will strengthen all-round cooperation with Jiangxi University of Science and Technology and carry out a series of activities to enable the Pakistani people to better understand China and China's development path and concept, enrich the connotation of China-Pakistan friendship and people-to-people exchanges, and provide intellectual support for improving human’s well-being.” Mr. Cai added.

Mentioning that Pak-China friendship is a natural alliance of two neighboring countries. Prof. Dr. Rana Eijaz Ahmad，Pakistani Director of CIPU stated that it has its geographical and geo-strategic importance in the region. This friendship between Pakistan and China is all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. Both countries are supporting each others’ stances on different international issues. “We are working closely with China to popularize its culture and language. CIPU is a platform for China and Pakistan to understand each others’ cultural and linguistic domains.”

Mr. Luo Jianxue, Executive Vice President of LOCA stressed that the Federation will continue to provide dedicated services to the Chinese and overseas Chinese in the Punjab province, leading Chinese enterprises to actively participate in the economic construction of CPEC, benefiting the Pakistani people, and working more closely with CIPU to inherit Chinese traditional culture and tell good Chinese stories.

Mr. Zulfiqar Ali, Director PM’s Office, Board of Investment shared his warm wishes through video clips. Representatives of Chinese-funded enterprises stated that the 70th anniversary is a milestone. They have always been full of confidence in the Pakistani market and the future of Pakistan.