In this photo released by the Press Information Department, newly elected Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif addresses the National Assembly session on April 11, 2022 in Islamabad, Pakistan. ISLAMABAD - Pakistan is ready to join with China to deepen bilateral cooperation and elevate relations between the two countries to a higher level, which is the voice of over 200 million Pakistani people, the country's newly-elected prime minister, Shahbaz Sharif said.
In a meeting with Pang Chunxue, the charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan, at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad earlier this week, Shahbaz said that the Pakistan-China friendship is unique, unshakeable and deeply rooted in the hearts of the people of the two countries.
When Pakistan was faced with internal, external difficulties or major challenges, China has always stood firm with Pakistan, he said, adding that Pakistan regards China as its steadiest friend and closest partner.
The Pakistani prime minister said that every Pakistani government has been committed to promoting friendship with China and that no one in the world can undermine this friendship.
In recent years, a major development has been witnessed in Pakistan-China relations, and bilateral cooperation has been deepened in an all-round way, opening a new chapter in the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor CPEC he said.
Shahbaz said that the CPEC is not only a major project of mutual benefit but also a precious gift from the Chinese government to Pakistan. Chinese enterprises have overcome numerous difficulties and challenges to facilitate Pakistan's development.
After the completion of a number of CPEC energy projects, Pakistan's energy shortage situation has improved rapidly, he said, adding that Pakistan would still be short of electricity without those projects.
The CPEC is a good example of China's desire for peaceful development and win-win cooperation, according to Shahbaz.
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He said that Pakistan will continue to increase input into the CPEC, work with China to expand cooperation fields, and overcome all bottlenecks and obstacles to speed up the CPEC construction, and that Pakistan will make every effort to ensure the safety of Chinese institutions and personnel in Pakistan.
He said that Pakistan is looking forward to learning from China's successful experience in poverty alleviation and vocational training and pushing forward bilateral cooperation at a new Pakistan speed.
Pakistan welcomes more Chinese investments in agricultural modernization, industrialization and digitalization and hopes that more Chinese enterprises will set up joint ventures in Pakistan and export products produced in this country to China and the rest of the world for mutual benefit and win-win results, Shahbaz said.
In his maiden address to the National Assembly of Pakistan or in the lower house of the Parliament after being elected as the country's prime minister on Monday, Shahbaz said that China is a time-tested friend of Pakistan and the great and eternal Pakistan-China friendship can never be shaken by anyone.
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