ISLAMABAD  - The China-Pakistan relations will reap the windfalls of their all-weather strategic cooperative partnership as Beijing and Islamabad are on the verge of capitalising on massive opportunities of development to realise common dreams of the two Asian nations.
This was gist of the remarks given by the Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong at a media reception hosted here at the Chinese Embassy the other day about the wide-ranging opportunities China and Pakistan are working together for the mutual benefits of their people.
Ambassador Weidong declared the outgoing year as a year of achievements and a year of harvest for the two countries saying both Beijing and Islamabad have stepped up efforts for economic development in Pakistan by launching a number of bilateral projects including Economic Corridor and energy sector.
While sharing roadmap for bilateral cooperation between China and Pakistan in year 2014, Chinese envoy said that a number of Chinese companies have a keen interest in energy cooperation with Pakistan and are willing to participate in water, thermal, solar, wind, civil nuclear power generation projects. "We should strengthen cooperation in all fields. We will take energy and infrastructure cooperation as a top priority, push forward the planning and the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor so as to promote economic development of Pakistan and improving livelihood of Pakistani people," he made these remarks while talking to newsmen at a reception hosted for Pakistani and Chinese media in the Chinese Embassy here on Monday night.
He said that bypass project of Attabad Lake of Karakorum Highway, Gwadar Port East Bay Motorway, the reconstruction project of flood damage highway, China-Pakistan Cross-Border Cable could be "Early Harvest Projects" of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
The Envoy opined that both the countries should make full use of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and hold the second round of tax reduction negotiations on the second phase of the FTA. "We should deepen cooperation in the fields of defence, maritime, agriculture, and law enforcement," he added.
Regarding China's support for Pakistan in capacity-building of independent development, he declared that his country would keep on encouraging Chinese enterprises to invest in Pakistan to promote the economic and social construction of Pakistan.
Stressing for promotion of people-to-people exchange, he said that China would send 1000 Chinese teachers to Pakistan in the next five years. "We will continue to promote Hundred Youth delegation to exchange visits, invite more Chinese cultural delegations demonstrate Chinese traditional culture. We are also planning to build up a cultural centre in Pakistan," he added.
For enhancing the cooperation in regional and international affairs, he said that the two countries should push forward the Afghanistan peace process, support the SAARC Cooperative Process, maintain regional peace and promote common development. "I believe that with the joint efforts of both sides, China-Pakistan traditional friendship and mutual beneficial cooperation will be enhanced to a new height," he added.
Expressing a need of sharing experiences in governing a state, further explore cooperation, he said that both the countries should further strengthen friendship by promoting exchanges of political parties, parliamentarians, local governments, think tanks, youth and media. While declaring the outgoing year 'a year of development, a year of achievements and a year of harvest', he said China-Pakistan relationship has stepped into a new stage, and "we face more important opportunities of development."
"We should deepen the strategic relations. China would like to work with Pakistan to keep the tradition of high-level exchanges, and enhance mutual support on issues involving the major interests of the two countries," he added.
While appreciating the Pakistani governments' efforts for economic development and social stability, he said "We are delighted to see the Pakistani achievements of development. As it is reported, there is a 5% GDP growth rate in the first quarter of the 2013-2014 fiscal year. The Foreign Direct Investment in the first quarter of the current fiscal year has reached US$ 340 million."
"We will, as always, render support and assistance as our ability permits to Pakistan. China and Pakistan will work together to realize common dreams," he added. Commenting on challenge of terrorism being faced by Pakistan, he said that Pakistan had made major contributions to the counter-terrorism campaign with huge sacrifice.
"The international community should respect Pakistan's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, provide support to Pakistan on a equal footing," he added. The Chinese Ambassador said that China supported Pakistan in formulating and implementing counter-terrorism strategies according to its own national condition.
"We highly appreciate that the measures have been taken by the Pakistani side to ensure the safety of Chinese citizen and institutions," he added.
Terming China and Pakistan as good neighbours, close friends, trusted partners and dear brothers, he said that the all-weather China-Pakistan Strategic Cooperative Partnership transcended the changes of time and politics, full of vitality and it was an example of state-to-state relations. "Why China and Pakistan enjoy such a unique friendship? It is because we always abide by Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, insist on mutual trust and support, equal treatment and sharing weal and woe over the long time," he added.
Sun Weidong said that it was because generations of the two countries' leaders always attach great importance to the consistent enhancement of bilateral relations. He said the Chinese government gave priority to the China-Pakistan relations in its diplomacy, while relations with China remain cornerstone of Pakistan's foreign policy, adding, "It is because the two peoples have nationwide consensus on being friendly to each other."
He said that this year, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif successfully exchanged visits within 40 days, reached a series of important consensus, promoted strategic cooperation between our two countries, and raised a new upsurge in bilateral relations. Shen Yueyue, Vice Chairperson of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, and Wang Zhengwei, Vice Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee visited Pakistan.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Former Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Wynne, Former Army Chief General Kayani also visited China.
"With these visits, we jointly expedited planning and construction of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, promoted parliamentary exchange and defense cooperation. The two sides held the first meeting of joint cooperation committee on the long-term plan of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor," he added. He further said that the overall planning and construction of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor progressed smoothly.
Chinese company acquired the concessional operational right of Gwadar Port while Karakoram Highway up-gradation project would also be completed very soon. He said an earthquake took place in Balochistan, caused huge casualties and property loss in September. China was the first country to deliver the condolence and relief cargo to the Pakistani Government and people.
About trade volume between the two neighbours, he said within the first three quarters of this year, China-Pakistan trade volume reached US$ 10.5 billion, with a year-on-year growth of 16.14%.
At present, China was Pakistan's second largest trading partner, and Pakistan was China's second largest trading partner in South Asia.
He said that China and Pakistan people-to-people exchange were continuously on the rise as the Communist Party of China kept frequently communication with PML-N, PPP, PTI.
Six Pakistani think tanks had built cooperative relations with Chinese related institutes. Confucius Institute in Karachi had been built. Xinjiang cultural delegation had made a successful performance in Pakistan.
He said that the 10th China-Pakistan defence and security consultation held in Beijing while Chinese and Pakistani air forces held a joint drill in Xinjiang.
Chinese Navy Hospital Ship "Peace Ark" arrived in Karachi to provide free medical service to local people. Pakistan Air Force 50 JF-17 fighter had been off the assembly line, and the second batch of the JF-17 fighter has started production.
He informed that the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulate General in Karachi had issued 52,000 visas for Pakistani people to visit China so far this year. The growth rate had beyond 20% per year since 2011.
All in all, in 2013, China and Pakistan cooperation was definitely fruitful. For China and Pakistan, the year 2013 was a year of development, a year of achievement and a year of harvest, he added.
Answering a question about China-Pakistan cooperation in civil nuclear field, ambassador Weidong said that both the countries have excellent cooperation as part of Pakistan's efforts to tackle its energy related challenges. He made it clear that both the countries were working on several civilian nuclear power projects under the strict monitoring of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).      
To another question about pre and post 2014 developments in Afghanistan, Chinese ambassador hoped that process of reconciliation in Afghanistan would gain momentum in year 2014, adding that Beijing will host a conference of on Afghanistan next year in which Afghanistan's neighbouring countries would participate to address the challenges related to peace and stability in the region.