Chinese scholars’ delegation calls on SAPM

An eight-member delegation of Chinese scholars called on Mr. Tariq Fatemi, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, at the Foreign Office today. The 6-day visit is being organized by the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing and coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad. The visit is part of a series of activities planned in the context of the ongoing “2015: Pakistan-China Year of Friendly Exchanges” to celebrate political, cultural, people-to-people and academic exchanges between the two countries.

Mr. Fatemi extended a warm welcome to members of the delegation. He described Pakistan-China friendship as an exemplary inter-state relationship, which enjoyed across-the-board support at all levels, public, institutional and popular, in both countries. In this context, the SAPM highlighted the importance of exchanges between the think tanks and academicians of both countries in deepening mutual understanding. Mr. Fatemi recalled President Xi Jinping’s historic visit to Pakistan last month, which had helped upgrade Pakistan-China relations to an “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership” and achieved concrete progress in implementing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He briefed the Chinese scholars on the bilateral as well as regional significance of the CPEC, which directly complements President Xi’s vision for “One Road, One Belt” and other Chinese initiatives for enhancing regional connectivity. The SAPM underscored the importance of the role academics and opinion makers from both countries could play in promoting greater understanding of the CPEC.

Mr. Ye Hailin, Editorial Director of the China Academy of Social Sciences, hailed the time-tested friendship between the two countries, and echoed Chinese President Xi’s description of Pakistan and China as “Iron Brothers”. He said Pakistan-China relationship is a model of friendly and good neighborly relations, and an object of envy for other countries. Mr. Ye agreed with the SAPM’s assessment of the vital importance of the CPEC initiative, describing it as a “flagship project” for China’s “One Road, One Belt” vision.

The visiting Chinese delegation includes scholars and academics from various think tanks and universities of China, including Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Chinese Institutes of Contemporary Relations, Academy of Military Sciences, Chinese Institute of International Studies, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, and the renowned Peking University.

Islamabad
26 May 2015

185/2015