Pakistan-China Friendship Year launched in Islamabad

[aimarraul]

Pakistan-China Friendship Year launched in Islamabad
ISLAMABAD, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan and China on Saturday officially launched the Pakistan-China Friendship Year of 2011 in Islamabad, which will feature a year-long celebration to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Addressing a ceremony in the Pakistan-China Friendship Center, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said a series of events and activities will begin countrywide with the start of 2011, which was declared as the Year of Friendship by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani during Wen's visit to Pakistan in December.

Qureshi termed the ceremony held in the friendship center as significant, saying the cultural complex itself, recently inaugurated by Wen and Gilani, is a symbol of the friendship between the two neighbors.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Liu Jian said the Chinese premier paid a successful and historic visit to Pakistan and the year of 2010 witnessed a continued, stable and vigorous growth of the strategic partnership of bilateral cooperation.

Liu said China and Pakistan will hold a series of wonderful commemorative activities covering such fields as politics, economy, culture, education, sports, military and others in the new year.

He believed that all the activities will further promote mutual understanding and brotherly friendship between the two peoples and bring the all-weather relations to a new high.

At the ceremony, Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir conveyed the congratulatory messages from Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on the commencement of the Pakistan-China Friendship Year.

 

[TechLahore]

Wish I was there... I am sure events like this one will happen across the country and throughout the year. I will be sure to attend one in Lahore.

 

[American Pakistani]

Sino-Pak brotherhood cannot be stop by any power, storm, mountain, hurricane, sea, border, conspiracy......,etc etc. Inshallah it will boost & boost & only boost.

Pakistan & China Zindabad.

 

[592257001]

Hopefully the Chinese government will throw in some FC-20s tied in ribbons with the same Chinese/Pakistan flag pattern on the JF-17 to spice up the celebration!

 

[Omar1984]

Pakistan-China Friendship Center (Islamabad)

YouTube - Video Sino-Pakistani cultural center to open in Islamabad CCTV News




YouTube - pak-china friendship centre




YouTube - pak china friendship centre 1 By Muzammil Iqbal Chaudhary




YouTube - PAKISTAN CHINA FRIENDSHIP CENTRE 18 DEC 2010 PART 1

 

[Kompromat]

Awesome

 

[Last Hope]

China, we love you like dear brothers!

Highier than Mountains, deeper than seas, Pakistan China friendship!

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Sino-Pak brotherhood cannot be stop by any power, storm, mountain, hurricane, sea, border, conspiracy......,etc etc. Inshallah it will boost & boost & only boost.

Pakistan & China Zindabad.

Well said buddy!

 

[cross1993]

Long live Pakistan and Chinas friendship!

 

[warrior_pk]

Awesome.we love and more importantly respect the great chinese people alot and i wont be wrong in saying that china is the only one country in the world every pakistani would feel deeply and profoundly for,regearless of ethnicity race and culture.cant say that for any other country..Long Live the brotherhood between pak chinese people.

 

[warrior_pk]

And it is upon us the current generation to take this relationship of mutual love and respect beyond any lengths imaginable.

 

[TechLahore]

The center looks pretty cool. Seems like it is close to blue area. Definitely worth a visit on the next trip to lovely Islamabad.

 

[warrior_pk]

I studied over 6 years in uk.did my A levels and graduation from there.was thinking about going bak for further studies but have changed my mind.instead of goin anywhr in europe or america i wud go to china and be proud of it.

 

[ChinaRocks]

Year long celebrations of Pak-China friendship starts

ISLAMABAD, Jan 2 (APP): Year long celebrations on the occasion of 60 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China commenced here last night with a function held at Pak-China Friendship Centre at a colourful ceremony attended by a large number of Pakistanis and Chines nationals. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was the chief guest on the occasion while the launching ceremony of Pakistan-China Friendship year 2011 was attended by Chief of Naval Staff Noman Bashir, diplomats, members of the federal cabinet, politicians, business community representatives, Chinese working in Pakistan and elite of the federal capital.

The ceremony was jointly hosted by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chinese Embassy at Pakistan-China Friendship Centre which has built by China and donated to Pakistan as symbol of everlasting friendship.
The diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China established in January 1950 when Pakistan recognized China while Pakistan opened its embassy on May 21, 1951.
Inaugurating the year long celebrations, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Pakistan and China enjoy excellent political and diplomatic relations and time has come to take a leap forward to bind the two nations together economically in all the fields.
The Foreign Minister said there was tremendous goodwill and trust between the two countries and they can move towards economic integration.
He said the present government is concentrating on economic diplomacy as national security and territorial integrity are closely linked to economic strength.
Qureshi pointed out that despite some of the economic difficulties because of security situation and fight against extremism and terrorism, Pakistan is recognized internationally as emerging economy with great potential to grow and prosper.
The Foreign Minister said Pakistan and China are cooperating with each other in a number of fields including economy, trade, energy, infrastructure and defence.
“The two countries have unanimity of views on regional and international issues, they support each other at international fora and their defence cooperation is progressing satisfactorily,” he said.
He pointed out that the process of economic integration between the two countries was somewhat limited but there is scope and potential to enhance it manifold.
He acknowledged that China has invested billions of dollars in many projects in Pakistan.
The minister said there are thirteen thousand Chinese engineers and workers in Pakistan contributing to the socio-economic development of the country.
He said the two countries have signed a number of agreements including the one relating to currency swap that will help broaden the economic interaction and achieve target of fifteen billion dollars bilateral trade by 2015.
Qureshi also expressed the confidence that the decision to open branches of the largest Chinese bank in Karachi and Islamabad would facilitate Chinese investment in Pakistan.
Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Liu Jian speaking on the occasion expressed the confidence that strategic relationship between the two countries would continue to grow.
He said the Chinese Premier paid a very successful visit to Pakistan recently which would help forge ties between the two countries.
The Chinese ambassador said the Pakistani government and people welcomed Premier Wen Jiabao with great warmth and enthusiasm.
He said in the last 60 years, since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have developed an all weather friendship and conducted multi-dimensional cooperation in different fields.
The Chinese ambassador said despite volatile international situation, the China-Pakistan friendship remained as strong and solid as a rock standing firm despite the passage of time.
“This is only because we always respect each other, highly trust each other, and wholeheartedly help each other,” he said.
He said while celebrating the 2011 as year of friendship, both the countries will hold a series of wonderful commemorative activities covering fields like politics, economy, culture, education, sports, military and others.
On this occasion, a photographic exhibition was also organized depicting different aspects of bilateral relations including high level exchanges, people-to-people contacts, sharing of hard times and participation of China in the economic development of Pakistan.
In his inaugural remarks, Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir said this year also marks establishment of diplomatic representation between the two capitals as Pakistan recognized China in January 1950.
He also read out on the occasion messages addressed by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yusaf Raza Gilani to their Chinese counterparts on launching of the friendship year.
In their messages the two leaders expressed determination to take this friendship and partnership to new heights.
Salman Bashir, who had been Pakistan’s ambassador to China said, “I and my family will never forget the kindness, love and affection that we received from our Chinese friends during my stay there.”
He said Pakistan-China friendship is legendary a fascinating romance between two peoples, deeply rooted in national ethos, since times immemorial.
Salman Bashir said, the leadership, the Government, the Armed Forces and, above all, the people of Pakistan and China are united in their resolve to safeguard their national interests, uphold national dignity and frustrate and defeat any evil designs against their motherland.
He said, “Our two peoples will continue to march, hand-in-hand, on the high road to peace and prosperity.”Later a cultural show, depicting folk songs of different areas of Pakistan were presented on this occasion to start the year long celebrations. Chinese cultural dance was also presented by the Chinese dancers.

 

[houshanghai]