BEIJING, May 28 (China Economic Net) - "The first time I went to Pakistan was in 1994. I went to Mount Mori to attend an international conference. We also visited Islamabad and Karachi，" said Du Youkang, director of the Pakistan Study Centre in Fudan University. "At that time, I felt that Islamabad and Karachi were prosperous, with abundant goods with good quality and low prices. The Pakistani people are very friendly to the Chinese."

 

 

 

From January 2002 to April 2005, Du Youkang served as the secretary of the Political Section of the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan. The friendliness of the Pakistani people deeply impressed him. "During the Qingming Festival, my two colleagues and I went to the Martyrs Cemetery for Karakoram Highway Builders in Gilgit to pay homage. The guard Madad and the gardener Ahmed greeted us at the gate. They volunteered to become the guardians of the cemetery after it's completed in 1978. They said that when they were old in the future, they would pass their work to their son and grandson, guarding the Chinese Martyrs Cemetery for generations. I was deeply impressed." Du Youkang added that in 2015, Ahmed was invited to visit Beijing and received a warm reception.

 

"One year, my colleague and I went on field trips. After we drove into the mountain, the road is rugged and sparsely populated. Suddenly, our Pakistani driver braked and told us that we might not be able to reach our destination tonight. Pointing to the roadblock made by small stones in front, he explained that day was Ashura, an important anniversary for Shia Muslims. This roadblock indicated that they were holding commemorative activities and did not want to be disturbed by outsiders."Du Youkang recalled.

 

"When we were at a loss, a villager came. Hearing that we were from China, he got in our car to lead the way. Then we saw thousands of people gathering on the road. It seemed that the commemoration was at its climax. Seeing our car, people crowded up immediately. Our Pakistani driver and the villager hurriedly explained the situation to a person who looked like the elder. The old man came over to shake our hands and said something to the crowd. The crowd immediately made a way for us and called us Chinese brothers." This special experience gave Du Youkang a feeling that Pakistan's profound friendship for the Chinese people is irrespective of political parties or religious sects.

 

"This year is the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, it is at a new starting point." Du Youkang believes that as the flagship project of the 'One Belt and One Road', CPEC will also enter a new stage of enrichment, expansion and improvement. "Other countries are also willing to participate in the construction of CPEC. We can gradually develop CPEC from bilateral projects to trilateral or even multilateral cooperation. This will help us reduce our risks and costs. At the same time, it is also helpful to build CPEC into a regional community with a shared future."He said.