Punjab housing minister attends 77th National Day event at PC Hotel Lahore hosted by the Chinese Consulate General.
LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Housing Bilal Yasin attended a ceremony at the PC Hotel Lahore on Sunday marking the 77th National Day of the People’s Republic of China, as a special guest.
He said Pakistan was keen to further expand cooperation with China across various fields, arguing that enhanced bilateral cooperation could create further opportunities in the economic, trade and development sectors.
Chinese Consul General Sun Yan, Chen Zhaonong and the chairman of the Pak-China Business Association welcomed the minister, who cut a commemorative cake at an event that featured a traditional Chinese cultural dance.
Addressing the gathering, Bilal Yasin expressed his commitment to further strengthening what he called the longstanding, friendly and brotherly relations between Pakistan and China, saying the friendship was an enduring bond that had stood the test of time. He said the two countries enjoyed strong relations based on mutual respect, cooperation and shared interests, and that a friendship spanning several decades had also fostered strong people-to-people ties.
The minister said Pakistan was keen to further expand cooperation with China in various fields, adding that enhanced bilateral cooperation could create further opportunities in the economic, trade and development sectors. China’s development and achievements, he said, served as a notable example at the global level, and the enduring friendship between the two countries was playing an important role in promoting peace, development and prosperity in the region.
The ceremony follows a period of active provincial engagement with Beijing. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif travelled to Xinjiang last month on a four-day visit that included a look at Chinese dairy innovation, while the provincial government has announced a Pak-China neurosurgery centre in Wuhan to train Pakistani doctors. Regionally, Beijing has also opened the Pinglu Canal, a shorter China-ASEAN trade route.
No new agreements, investment figures or memoranda were announced at the Lahore ceremony, which was attended by prominent personalities from different walks of life.
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