'Sino-Pak friendship important for economic uplift'

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has said that the Sino-Pak friendship and the mutual co-operation between the two countries is extremely important regarding the world peace and the economic development of the country.
He expressed these views while talking to outgoing Chinese Ambassador Zhang Chnnxiang, who had a farewell meeting with him at the Chief Minister's House on Saturday, disclosed an official. He expressed satisfaction that new opportunities of expansion in economic and trade co-operation between the two countries are being created.
The chief minister pointed out that the mutual co-operation between the two countries in the fields of agriculture research, industry, Information Technology and other sectors, was on the increase. He said that the outgoing Chinese Ambassador played a commendable role in improving the relations between the two countries during his stay in Pakistan.
He reiterated that in view of the participation of the Chinese investors in the projects of the economic development, the Punjab government was facilitating the Chinese investors to the fullest extent. He pointed out that Punjab government was providing as many as 500 acres of land gratis to the Chinese investors.
Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi expressed the hope that the increasing trade and economic relations between China and Pakistan would exercise positive impacts on the economies of the two countries. He also expressed satisfaction that the Sino-Pak friendship had lived up to the toughest trial of time. "China was a trustworthy friend of Pakistan, which always provided the country with wise consultation," he added. According to him, the Punjab government was setting up educational institutions for the promotion of Chinese language where the students would be given scholarships. The co-operation in the fields of agriculture, textile and agri-research between the Chinese province Jiangsu and Punjab was getting promoted.
The departing Chinese Ambassador termed the Pakistani culture and the affection of the local people a priceless asset for him. He said that he had greatly been impressed by the local culture, language and social circumstances. He also expressed satisfaction that the Sino-Pak friendship was getting deep rooted with the passage of time. He pointed out that China gave much importance to relations between the two countries. "The love and affection that the local people had given to him would be long remembered by him," he added.