China-Pakistan ties: Shahbaz says learning Chinese language need of the hour

Urges public varsities to introduce Chinese language courses

LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that proficiency in Chinese language was the need of the hour. He said the provincial government had decided to set up an institute for this purpose in Lahore.

He was speaking at a seminar held at his office on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. He urged vice chancellors of public universities to introduce Chinese language courses at their institutions.



Sharif assured the audience that corruption would not be tolerated in the implementation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Project. He said he was ready to face any punishment if embezzlement of a single penny was proved in the project.

He condemned the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehrik for staging sit-ins in the federal capital last year that had led to a delay in the Chinese president’s visit to the country for the signing of the agreement.

Responding to a question about the Orange Line Metro Train Project, he said it was not relevant whether or not it was part of the CPEC project. He said that like the mass transit bus service, the train service too would benefit thousands of commuters every day. “Aap Ko Aam Khaney Sey Gharz Honi Chahiye, Na Keh Gutlian Gin’ne Sey,” he said (You should be concerned with the benefits of the project, not with the source of funding).

The chief minister referred to recent statements by the Indian government and said that their objections over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Project were unjustified. He said Pakistan had never objected to Chinese trade with India which was worth around $75 billion. He said the CPEC project would benefit the entire region.

Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal said that of the $46 billion investment under the CPEC project, $11 billion would be spent on infrastructure projects and $33 billion on power generation projects.

Separately, Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan Sun Weidong called upon Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday. Matters discussed in the meeting included the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project and other areas of cooperation.

Sharif said relations between the two countries had consolidated over time. “The two countries had always been good friends. However, now we are economic partners as well,” he said. Sharif said the $46 billion package announced for the country showed that the Chinese leadership had complete confidence in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz led government.

Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong congratulated Sharif on the completion of Pakistan Metro Bus Project and said that Sharif had no parallel when it came to timely completion of public welfare projects.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10^th, 2015.