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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday hailed the \u201cfinest hour\u201d of the friendship between Pakistan and China.<\/p>\n
He made the remarks while addressing a ceremony in Beijing marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. The premier is currently on a four-day official trip to the neighbouring country,<\/p>\n
\u201cThese 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He said that over the last seven decades, China had risen to the \u201czenith of glory through hard work and untiring efforts\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis 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\u2019s China is \u2014 a world economic power and a world military power,\u201d he said, hailing the \u201cfinest hour\u201d in the friendship between the two countries.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday, we are like two souls and one heart. Our hearts beat together,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cChina, 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\u2019s philosophy [of] promoting peace \u2026 is something that makes him not only a towering figure, but one of the most respected leaders in this day and age,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet us resolve to draw lessons from this great journey of hard lessons and untiring efforts \u2026 For us, it is a long journey, but the longest journey in the world started from the first step,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Separately, PM Shehbaz also held a series of high-level meetings with leading Chinese enterprises and reaffirmed Pakistan\u2019s commitment to deepening economic, industrial and infrastructure cooperation under the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Phase II, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister\u2019s Office (PMO).<\/p>\n
During a meeting with a delegation of FAMSUN led by its Chief Executive Officer Zhengjun Chen, the prime minister appreciated its \u201clongstanding contribution to Pakistan\u2019s agriculture sector, particularly in grain storage, feed production, and food security\u201d, the statement said.<\/p>\n