His Excellency Mr. Wang Qishan,

Vice-President of the People’s Republic of China,

Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentleman,

Good Evening & Da Jia Hao,

It is my singular honour to welcome you all at this grand reception being held to mark the auspicious occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China. On behalf of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, I would like to express my heartiest appreciation for all dignitaries present today for their lifelong endeavours for strengthening Pakistan-China Friendship.

I would particularly like to express my profound gratitude to H.E. Mr. Vice President for gracing today’s reception and for his strong support and guidance for deepening Pakistan-China friendship.

Distinguished Guests,        Friendship is one of the finest attributes of life. It blossoms from the innermost recesses of our soul, nurtured by the streams of honesty and sacrifice and immortalised by the tranquillity of ages. Confucius once paid tribute to friends and friendship in these illuminating words:

“There are three types of good friends: one that is direct and honest; one that is trustworthy, dependable, and generous when you need help; and one that is knowledgeable and talented to guide you and show you what you cannot see.”

China, as an eternal friend of Pakistan, fulfils all three attributes as illustrated by the Great Master!

Ladies and Gentlemen,          The iron-clad friendship between Pakistan and China is centuries old. Two thousand years ago, the ancient civilisations of Pakistan and China were integrated by the ancient Silk Road. Braving the treacherous mountains and scorching deserts, many Chinese monks arrived at the famous Buddhist seminaries of Taxila and Swat and brought back with them the light of knowledge and the warmth of friendship.  

It is that eternal flame of friendship which illumines the present day wide-ranging engagements of our two countries!

Distinguished Guests,           The past seven decades of our friendship are embellished with touching episodes of sacrifice, trust and generosity. Our two countries firmly stood by each other not only during the gentle tides of peace and stability but also amidst the challenges posed by conflict, natural calamities and geopolitical upheavals.

Ladies and Gentlemen,          Pakistan and China are partners in peace and prosperity. Our two countries have accomplished great things together. Of many success stories of our fruitful cooperation, CPEC is the most prominent by virtue of its scope and scale. As the flagship project of BRI, CPEC has shown that international cooperation based on win-win cooperation could bring about huge transformation in the destinies of our peoples.

Pakistan stands committed to the CPEC and ready to take it to new heights.

Distinguished Guests,         Our world today is at the cusp of a new era. We are witnessing unravelling of profound changes unprecedented in history. New tendencies are emerging and new alignments taking shape. COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the pace of change and added an element of uncertainty. However, nothing can shake the foundation of our all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. Our two countries have jointly traversed such epochal changes in the past, and this time too, we would emerge successful.

As has been the defining feature of our bilateral ties, Pakistan and China would continue to deepen bilateral mutual political trust, maintain the momentum of high level exchanges and continue our unwavering support to each other on the issues of core interests.  

Distinguished Friends,         2021 could not have been more meaningful and emblematic for our nations. Besides being the 70th anniversary of establishment of Pakistan-China friendship, it also marks the 50th anniversary of Dr. Henry Kissinger’s historic visit to China with Pakistan’s active support and facilitation, which altered the course of history. It is also the 30th anniversary of Pakistan-China Civil Nuclear Cooperation which has injected a new impetus to our bilateral ties.

And yes, this year also marks the centenary of the Communist Party of China which has made immense sacrifices for Chinese people and for China’s peaceful return to the centre stage of global politics and economics.  I would like to congratulate the government and people of China on CPC’s centenary and pay tribute for its valuable contributions for strengthening of our bilateral friendship.

May I reaffirm to Chinese brothers and sisters that China would always find in Pakistan a most reliable partner, iron brother and trusted friend which would stand by her always.

Today, while celebrating our glorious past of seven decades, we make this solemn pledge to keep the flame of our friendship and fraternity glowing with ever-increasing brightness and splendor!

Long Live Islamic Republic of Pakistan,

Long Live People’s Republic of China,

Long Live Pakistan-China Friendship

(Ba Zhong You Yi Wan Sui!)

On behalf of the Government and People of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, I would like to reaffirm Pakistan’s iron-brotherhood and eternal friendship with People’s Republic of China

DATE:2021-05-21