By Ajmal Khan Yousafzai
ISLAMABAD: Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing said that 2020 is a promising year for China-Pakistan cooperation, and that he was looking forward to much better Sino-Pak ties in the year 2020, particularly in social sector, and pushing forward industrialization in Pakistan. With the smooth implementation of the first phase of CPEC, bilateral friendship has entered a new stage of enhanced cooperation. The two sides will undertake joint ventures for development of free trade industrial zones, the Ambassador said while addressing a gathering of students, young cadets, academia, diplomats and journalists gathered at the Annual Sangam Club Gala 2019 held here on Monday at the Chinese Embassy. “The first phase of CPEC has been successfully completed and now we have entered Phase second, in which the focus will be pointed towards industrialization and establishing economic zones across Pakistan,” Yao Jing said. He claimed that so far 27 projects has been initiated in which many are about to complete, the Ambassador also asserted that the work on CPEC will be further paced and remained hopeful that the projects will be completed before due date. “Peace and prosperity will be the hallmark of the New Year, and the two countries would be making joint efforts to achieve this cherished goal and to further improve the living conditions of their people for a better life, Yao Jing told participants. The two countries, he added, are struggling to meet the common aspirations of their people, particularly the youth, who are their future hopes to carry forward their decades’ old deep-rooted friendship. The ambassador told the attendees of the event that Sangam Club is a new leaf added to the tree of Pakistan-China friendship and it would go a long way in further cementing people-to-people contacts between the two iron-brother nations. The ambassador assured that their growing mutual exchanges, particularly at the young generation’s level, will keep growing in the years to come. The ambassador in concluding remarks suggested the attendees that it is the duty of each of us to further cement our friendship, and that the world is looking at us desiring a friendship like ours. The event was organized by the Chinese Embassy, an open house and Sangam Club Gala 2019, in which it has invited people from all walks of life who have visited China on the invitation of the Chinese Embassy in recent year. The purpose of the gala was to get these people together under one roof to share their diverse experiences in China, exchange notes, and provide suggestions for further promoting people-to-people exchanges between Pakistani and Chinese people. The attendees also watched musical show, Chinese martial art, Chinese opera and much more on the occasion.
