Regional cooperation: Leaders exchange views on promoting Pak-China friendship

CPC applauds Punjab CM's performance on swift completion of CPEC projects

LAHORE: Chinese Counsel General Long Dingbin called on Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and discussed matters of mutual interest, promotion of Pak-China friendship and promotion of relations between Communist Party of China (CPC) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

The counsel general gave a letter to the chief minister from the Communist Party of China in which best wishes were conveyed and his performance of for the promotion of Pak-China ties and completion of CPEC projects at the fast track were appreciated. The letter was signed by International Department of Communist Party of China Central Committee Vice Minister Zheng Xiaosong. In the letter, Zheng Xiaosong wrote, "I am writing to express my sincere wishes to you and your family. May you enjoy good health, happy family and every success. I recall with pleasure our acquaintance in July last year. Although we have not seen each other very often, frequent communications have enabled our friendship to grow continuously."

He said in his letter that as a veteran political leader in Pakistan, Shehbaz had demonstrated strong leadership in Punjab. "The remarkable achievements in various fields have brought tangible benefits to the locals.



As an old friend of CPC in general and that of the International Department of CPC Central Committee in particular, you have made untiring efforts and a great contribution to the friendly relationships between our two countries and parties, especially CPEC,'' he added.

He said the completion of several projects including Sahiwal coal project before deadline was a great achievement of CM Shehbaz. He said he had never seen such speedy completion of projects in China which he had seen in Punjab.

Shehbaz said that CPEC has opened up new avenues of development and progress in Pakistan and it has become a game changer. He said the Chinese cooperation for development in Pakistan was praiseworthy, adding all projects of CPEC will be completed in time at any cost and no hindrance will be allowed to come in this way.  He said that CPEC projects would change the destiny of Pakistan and their completion will bring about the revolution of development and progress in the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2017.