Activity No. 129 : The 2021 Forum on Cooperation between China and Pakistan Friendship Provinces and Cities

The Embassy and the China People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) co-organized the 2021 Forum on Cooperation between China and Pakistan Friendship Provinces and Cities in Beijing today.

          Mr. Zhang Chunxian, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, Mr. Qasim Khan Suri, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and Mr. Khalid Mansoor, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on CPEC delivered keynote speeches during the forum.

          From Pakistan Chief Ministers of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan, the Mayor of Lahore and Secretary IPC and from China Vice Governor of Xinjiang, Henan and Hubei, and Vice Chairperson of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress delivered speeches during the event. Assistant Minister from two Foreign Ministries, Consul Generals of China and Pakistan, local leaders and senior officials of different provinces and cities of China attended the event online.

          In his key note speech, Mr. Zhang Chunxian, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of National People’s Congress of China said that China-Pakistan All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership is one of the most important relationships of China.  Our time-tested and shining friendship has always stood tests of the time and grew from strength to strength. Under President Xi Jinping’s vision of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the flagship project and undergoing high-quality development. He urged all Sister-Provinces and Sister-Cities to take all practical steps to further strengthen and deepen the bonds of friendship and brotherhood.

          Mr. Qasim Khan Suri, Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan in his speech stated that Pakistan and China are closest friends and Iron-Brothers. Our time-tested friendship is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people of the two countries. The last seven decades of high-level exchanges between the two countries speak volume of deep affinity and mutual trust between the leaderships, governments and peoples of two countries. He congratulated the Communist Party of China (CPC) on its 100th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of restoration of lawful seat of China at the United Nation.

          Mr. Khalid Mansoor, Minister for CPEC Affairs said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has given a new impetus to All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership between two brotherly countries. Sister-Provinces/Cities play a pivotal role in promoting economic and trade exchanges between two countries and conveyed full support of the CPEC authority in facilitating Chinese investors and businessmen.

The Chief Ministers of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan expressed their satisfaction on ongoing meaningful exchanges and emphasize to maintain momentum of high-quality cooperation between Sister-Provinces/Cities for common development and share prosperity of the peoples of two countries.

          While appreciating the CPAFFC for promoting high-quality exchanges between Pakistan and China, Ambassador Haque greatly acknowledged its contributions for further strengthening bilateral ties. He said that the increasing people-to-people exchanges are one of the most promising aspects of bilateral relations. He also thanked the leadership of provinces and cities of China for making the history by establishing 23 new friendship relationships with different province and cities of Pakistan in 2021. He expressed his strong confidence that these Sister-Relationships will provide a strong foundation for expanding economic, trade, tourism and cultural cooperation to jointly build Pakistan-China Community of Shared Destiny in New Era.

          During the event, eleven agreements pertaining to establishment of different Sister-Relationships between different provinces and cities of Pakistan and China were signed. The Forum was one of the major events to commemorate the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between Pakistan and China.

          In the historic year of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties, both countries have established 23 new Sister/Friendship-Relationship between different provinces, cities, national parks and lakes of the two countries.

In the end of the event, a joint declaration on promoting win-win cooperation for common development was issued. The next Sister-Province/City Cooperation Forum will be held in 2023.  

2021-12-09