BEIJING: “Every part of my visit to China was just amazing! The hospitality I received in China was memorable! China’s historical civilization, tasty cuisine, modern industry and advanced technology are insurmountable,” Muhammad Azam, President of Lahore Press Club, Pakistan told Gwadar Pro reporter after visiting the magnificent traditional architectures, convenient urban transportation and bustling business districts in Beijing.
At the invitation of the Consulate General of China in Lahore, a delegation of 8 senior leaders from leading media and think tanks of Punjab, Pakistan visited Beijing and Shenzhen, China from May 24 to May 30. Chinese Consul General in Lahore Zhao Shiren noted this is the first media and think-tank delegation organized by the Chinese Consulate General in Lahore to visit China after the Covid-19 pandemic to resume people-to-people exchanges.
The delegation included Lt Col (Retd) Sayed Ahmad Nadeem Qadri, Director General Operations of Nawa-i-Waqt Group, and senior editors from mainstream Pakistani media like The Nation, City News Network, Daily 42 City News Network, The News International, Dawn, PTV and Institute of International Relations and Media Research.
“Nothing could be more exciting than being nominated as a member of an 8-member delegation to explore the great charm of traditional Chinese architecture and tap its tourism potential,” highlighted Saleem Bokhari, Group Chief Editor of City News Network during his visit at the Palace Museum on his first day in Beijing.
Reflecting on one of the largest and best preserved ancient wooden structures in the world, Lt Col (Retd) Sayed Ahmad Nadeem Qadri, head of the delegation thought of the inner city of Lahore, which is the cultural and historical icon of Pakistan. He pointed out that in recent years, the inner Lahore city has become an example of Pakistan’s rendezvous by rejuvenating its cultural and heritage sites. The commercialization and transportation layout of cultural sites in Pakistan can learn from the Chinese experience.
The delegation was also impressed by the Great Wall, one of the seven wonders of the medieval world. After boarding the beacon tower, the delegation enjoyed a full view of the ‘Golden Dragon’, which winds around mountains covered with endless verdure. Khawar Abbas, Senior Vice President Punjab Union of Journalists, and Nasir Jamal, Bureau Chief Lahore of Dawn, finally understood what “He who has not been to the Great Wall is not a true man” means.
Apart from experiencing China’s more than 5,000 years of civilization, the delegation expected a lot to visit the headquarters of companies involved in constructing China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). In Beijing the delegation visited the headquarter of China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), the contractor of the Matiari-Lahore ±660 High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Transmission Line Project with a length of 886 KM in Pakistan and PKM. –Agencies
