Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani Thursday said Pakistan and China had entered into a new era of strategic partnership which would go a long way in economic and social development of the region, as both the countries were time-tested iron friends.
He expressed these views while talking to Gao Yunlong, Vice Chairman of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), here at Parliament House on Thursday, as the latter is on a four-day visit to Pakistan.
Sanjrani said Pakistan was proud of its unprecedented friendship with China and the recent visit of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to China had added a new chapter in the bilateral relations of both the countries.
He appreciated the momentum in exchange of parliamentary delegations and said that parliamentary diplomacy could better develop understanding on issues of mutual concern. He appreciated that both the countries enjoy cordial parliamentary linkages.
He said the Upper House of the Parliament had established a Parliamentary Friendship Group which could play a crucial role in cementing the existing ties. The chairman Senate said there was a need to further boost cooperation among the secretariats of the parliaments in both the countries to steer the cooperation in different areas of mutual interest.
He said business delegations should also exchange visits for enhancing the economic ties and improving the balance of trade between the two countries. He said, "The CPEC is a flagship game changer project and we are committed for its early completion to benefit from its potential for regional development." He said the ongoing mega projects under the CPEC including international airport, hospitals and professional training institutes needed to be completed at the earliest.
Sanjrani apprised the vice chairman of CPPCC that a successful Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) meeting in Gwadar had paved the way for increased interest of the international investors in the region.
He said that APA platform needed to be further strengthened and Pakistan would seek Chinese support for that purpose. The chairman Senate said the mutual ties between the two countries called for further momentum in people-to-people contacts to strengthen the existing economic and parliamentary linkages.
The vice chairman of CPPCC conveyed special greetings of the chairman CPPCC to chairman Senate. He said that China attached utmost importance to its ties with Pakistan as both the countries shared a common vision and agenda for regional development.
He said both the countries shared a common stance on most of the international issues and China looks forward for further cooperation in this area.
The visiting dignitary invited the Senate chairman to visit China. The chairman Senate informed the vice chairman that a high-level parliamentary delegation of Senate would soon visit China to give a boost to parliamentary ties.