ISLAMABAD: President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) Ambassador Lin Songtian on Thursday said that promotion of people-to-people exchanges, media cooperation and youth exchange programmes are atop his agenda and he would work with Pakistani officials to make this plan a success.
Ambassador Lin Songtian, who is leading a delegation on his first visit overseas after overtaking as President CPAFFC, spoke to the media here at the Chinese Embassy and briefed on the objectives of his visit to Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
“Media cooperation is helpful to promote people to people exchanges and we will invite Pakistani media to visit China and look for themselves the true story of how China defeated poverty. Youth exchange is also key. Capacity building is fundamental to development like human resources development. Vocational training schools are important in this regard,” he said.
He said China and Pakistan have 18 friendship cities and I would like to work to promote this bond so the two cities can work together to further develop together. He said China is working with Pakistan to help develop its under-developed areas and Gwadar’s development into a rich coastal hub for industry.
“Pakistan was among first countries to join the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and it has largely benefitted from CPEC. In the second phase of the corridor, China is ready to support Pakistan in its journey to development and prosperity and in this regard. We would extend help to Pakistan in transforming its human resource into skilled labour. We are also working in infrastructure building which is the key to regional and global connectivity,” he added.
He said that keeping in view the iron-bond of friendship between China and Pakistan, he chose Pakistan as the first country for his overseas visit. He said that the CPAFFC had collected supplies worth 126 million RMB for flood hit people of Pakistan and these supplies would soon be shipped to Pakistan.
“Pakistan is my second home. We always remember that Pakistan always stood for China and also helped Chinese people in natural calamities and fighting COVID-19. I also came to help implement the consensus reached between President Xi and Premier Shehbaz Sharif on promoting people to people exchanges to shape a community with a shared future for mankind,” he said.
He said under the CPEC, China plans to connect China’s Xinjiang with Gwadar through high speed railway as infrastructure building is key to development.
“We are moving to the second phase of the CPEC. I would urge investors from China and other countries to come and invest in Pakistan. I also plan to promote people to people exchanges.
I have held meetings with Pakistani officials here and would also visit Karachi. We have discussed how China can help Pakistan fight poverty and help the people of Pakistan get out of poverty,” he added.
Ambassador Lin Songtian said we need to focus on developing more IT parks, industrial units and corporate entities to help Pakistan prosper.
“We need to invest in building infrastructure so that Pakistan can pay off its loans. Let us work together to mobilize resources for investment. We have to mobilize non-governmental resources side by side with governmental support. We need to promote entrepreneurship,” he added.
He said that railway connectivity supported by highways from Xinjiang to Gwadar can help Pakistan thrive as an economic power. Solar energy resources in Pakistan are ample and southern Pakistan has rich resources, he said and added that China is leading the country in new energy field and it can help Pakistan meet its energy demands.
Briefing on the recently held 20th National People’s Congress (NPC), Amb Lin said that the moot has a great significance for the Chinese national. He said that the 20th NPC elected Comrade Xi Jinping as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and also decided to move China towards achieving its second centenary goal.
“Chinese modernisation will help other nations modernize too. By 2035, China will turn itself into a modern state and in the next 15 years, China will develop into a prosperous nation,” he added.
“The landmark session provided the best answers to questions about how China can contribute to global development. It also provided answers about China’s goal and how to get there. Taking Xi Jinping’s Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in The New Era and his Thought on Diplomatic Work as guidance, we shall hold high the banner of peace, development and win-win cooperation, uphold the principles of mutual respect, equal treatment, friendly cooperation and common development,” he said.
Amb said that the CPAFFC would make friends with people across the world and strive for mutual understanding and affinity among peoples of different nations.
“We will work hard to promote international communication and cooperation while serving our national rejuvenation and striving for global common benefits. We shall contribute to the fostering of a new type of international relations and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind by doing our part in people-to-people diplomacy,” he concluded.
