ISLAMABAD, June 4 (China Economic Net)  - "This year is very important, as it is also the celebration and commemoration of 100 years of Communist Party of China," said Farwa Zafar, president of All Pakistan China Friendship Association(APCFA). "Leadership is most important for the development. I am an eye witness of the transcending change that China has made since my first visit in 1973."

 

 

"I first landed in China as a young teenager in Hong Kong, where my father was a consul general. A few months later, I went to Beijing on a cold winter night." Farwa told us that her first cultural impression of China is that everybody was on a bicycle. All men and women were dressing in similar suits. "There were no high buildings anywhere. But, I could feel the resilience and the passion to move forward that Chinese people had shown. They were determined. " 

 

"Initial years are years when you plan and make develop policies. You have to have a determination that no matter how long it will take, the change will take place eventually. That is what I saw from the development of those days in China," she added. "It had changed a lot from the early 70's to the '90s. I visited China very often in the 80's and 90's， because my brother lived in China for 11 years. His office was in a multi-story building that was 60 stories high. The first 20 stories were hotels, then offices and residences. That is how I saw the people changed."

 

"Everything happened with a vision and a plan, which was started from the leadership of Chairman Mao. Deng Xiaoping's open-up policy was also with the vision of developing. " Farwa commented. "China opened up to the world. They started their footprints all over the world and that's how the investments came in and they create more jobs, wealth and GDP. China is also contributing a big amount of global GDP. These all happened due to the people's will, the commitment of the leadership and the vision of development."

 

Farwa also stressed that the key factor for the development of China was focusing on the people."This year, President Xi announced that they have completed the task of lifting nearly 100 million people out of poverty. They have other plans also, like rural development and rural revitalization that is happening now."

 

"There is a Chinese proverb that a journey of friendship starts with a single step. CPEC is the first step. " Farwa believes that CPEC is the project of the century and it has been seen as a game-changer for Pakistan. "It will bring economic benefit to both countries. China focused on economic growth and takes people out of poverty. Pakistan definitely wants to learn from their vision and the results they have achieved."