Sindh Governor Syed Nehal Hashmi, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Acting Chinese Consul General in Karachi Feng Deheng have highlighted the longstanding relationship between Pakistan and China, describing bilateral ties as a partnership built on mutual trust and cooperation.
The governor and chief minister congratulated the Chinese government and people on the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. They described Pakistan-China relations as an enduring partnership based on mutual trust, sovereign equality and support for each other’s core interests.
Speaking at a reception hosted by Acting Consul General Feng Deheng to mark China’s National Day, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah praised China’s economic transformation, technological development and infrastructure expansion.
Shah said China had lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, developed major infrastructure projects and emerged as a significant contributor to global economic growth. He also highlighted China’s focus on modernisation, high-quality development and its stated vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind.
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The chief minister said China’s progress in technology, green development and economic transformation had attracted international recognition and provided lessons for developing countries seeking sustainable growth.
He also welcomed what he described as China’s contribution to international peace, development and cooperation, particularly its emphasis on dialogue, multilateralism and mutually beneficial engagement.
Referring to China’s Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilisation Initiative, Shah said the initiatives reflected priorities including inclusive development, collective security, cultural understanding and a more equitable international system.
The chief minister described Pakistan-China relations as an “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership”, saying the two countries had supported each other through periods of difficulty and shared achievements over the decades.
He said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, had added a significant dimension to bilateral economic cooperation through projects involving connectivity, energy, infrastructure and industrial development.
Shah said Sindh, as Pakistan’s major economic and commercial centre, remained an important part of Pakistan-China cooperation. He pointed to growing Chinese investment and collaboration in areas including energy, ports and logistics, industry, agriculture, information technology, urban infrastructure, healthcare and education.
“We are pleased to see growing Chinese investment and collaboration across multiple sectors,” Shah said, adding that the Sindh government remained committed to creating an environment conducive to investment.
He said the provincial government wanted to expand cooperation with Chinese institutions and companies in renewable energy, smart urban development, agricultural modernisation, vocational training, digital transformation and industrial innovation.
“These areas hold immense potential for further strengthening the bonds between Sindh and China and for delivering tangible benefits to our people,” he said.
Shah reiterated Pakistan’s appreciation for China’s support for the country’s development, economic progress and regional stability. He expressed confidence that bilateral cooperation would continue to expand and called for stronger people-to-people contacts.
Earlier, Acting Chinese Consul General Feng Deheng welcomed guests at the reception and said practical cooperation between the two countries had deepened, with CPEC entering what he described as a phase of high-quality development.
Feng said Pakistan and China were focusing on agriculture, industry and mining as key areas for advancing what he called an “upgraded CPEC 2.0”, aimed at expanding cooperation across multiple sectors.
He said frequent high-level exchanges between the two countries had continued during the year, contributing to what he described as strengthened political mutual trust.
Feng noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Asif Ali Zardari had exchanged congratulatory messages marking the anniversary of diplomatic relations. He also referred to visits to China by President Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, saying the engagements had produced new understandings and provided guidance for further bilateral cooperation.
The event began with the national anthems of Pakistan and China and concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony.
