'Beginning of new era': Delegation kicks off Pak-China dialogue

A Pakistani parliamentary delegation kicked off its nine-day visit to China with a dialogue held at a think-tank. 

The dialogue witnessed a constructive exchange of ideas between the two sides.

Zheng Bijian, founding chairman of China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy (CIIDS) and chairman of its academic committee said that “Before us is not the so-called ‘end of history’, but the beginning of a new era -- the community of shared future.”

"Pakistan and China, side by side, are undergoing profound changes of a kind unseen in a century, which includes the peaceful rise of China, the decline of the West, and the advent of the community of a shared future," said Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Pakistani senator and head of the delegation.

The dialogue has boosted, as both sides agreed, the all-weather friendship between China and Pakistan presents a good opportunity to deepen bilateral cooperation.

Read Situationer: Is CPEC a ‘debt trap’ for Pakistan?

Notably, the two nations are celebrating 10 years of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.

CPEC, a flagship mega project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – a brainchild of Chinese President Xi Jinping – was signed in Pakistan during Xi’s visit at the invitation of then prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Prime Minister Shehbaz vowed to double the pace of work as CPEC was not only meant for improving roads, rail, seaports and air routes, but it would also help in health, education and skills development areas.

“CPEC is a beautiful plan to connect not only regions and areas but also people’s hearts,” PM Shehbaz said. “CPEC will have positive impacts on the people’s living standards in the region,” he added.