Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday hailed the “finest hour” of the friendship between Pakistan and China.
He made the remarks while addressing a ceremony in Beijing marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
“These relations were carved out with great commitment, devotion and dedication by the great leaders of China and Pakistan. Over the last seven decades, these relations have reached a high point, where you cannot find a befitting parallel,” he said.
He said that over the last seven decades, China had risen to the “zenith of glory through hard work and untiring efforts”.
“This is a remarkable journey for all other nations around the globe to learn how to overcome poverty, unemployment. If you remain steadfast, then you ultimately achieve what today’s China is — a world economic power and a world military power,” he said, hailing the “finest hour” in the friendship between the two countries.
“Today, we are like two souls and one heart. Our hearts beat together,” he said. The premier stated that under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, China had lifted eight million people out of poverty and provided jobs to millions.
“China, in terms of economic power, is second to none. China, in terms of military power, is at par with the most powerful nation in the world. Yet, Xi’s philosophy [of] promoting peace … is something that makes him not only a towering figure, but one of the most respected leaders in this day and age,” he said.
“Let us resolve to draw lessons from this great journey of hard lessons and untiring efforts … For us, it is a long journey, but the longest journey in the world started from the first step,” he said.
“Let us take this first step. I can assure you that we will be able to achieve our targets in terms of [implementing] a mini-Chinese economic model in Pakistan one day,” he said.
“The Pak-China friendship has deep roots. It has weathered storms, given shade and borne fruit. It is now our responsibility to nurture new branches so that future generations inherit a relationship even stronger than what was envisioned by our forefathers,” he said.
More to follow
