Shehbaz Sharif calls for focusing on industrial, agricultural progress. Assures Beijing Chinese nationals will be provided more security than that of his own and his children in Pakistan.

BEIJING   -   Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reiterated his resolve to make Pakistan a great nation and regain its position by following the Chinese development model through utmost hard work and a sharp focus on industrial and agricultural progress.

“If we follow the Chinese model, I have no doubt, Pakistan will regain its position in the comity of nations and will be respected like our Chinese brothers are done by friends and foes... We will follow your model, work hard untiringly, put in our sweat and blood, and make Pakistan a great country,” the prime minister said addressing the 4th Pakistan-China Friendship and Business Reception here.

He told the gathering of Pakistani and Chinese business leaders that Pakistan would follow Chinese President Xi Jinping’s vision to focus on progress and prosperity by avoiding conflicts and cited immense Chinese progress and projects like the Belt and Road Initiative, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI).

The prime minister who is in China on a five-day official visit, advised the Pakistani people against being dejected or losing hope rather than standing up and accepting the challenge to reach the level of Chinese progress within a few years or decades. He said the China-Pakistan friendship had no parallel in the world which remained unshakeable and unreachable even during the storms, wars, and earthquakes.

Recalling the Chinese journey of swift development to become the second biggest economic and military power under President Xi’s vision, Prime Minister Shehbaz said it was achieved only through hard work and untiring efforts.

“All Pakistanis will also have to pass through this thorny process. There is no other way to earn respect in the world,” he remarked. He said having come into being two years after Pakistan, China took its trade to trillions of dollars while Pakistan’s hovered around $30-40 billion in terms of exports. Besides, China has excelled in information technology and artificial intelligence. He also referred to the “wonderful” bilateral cooperation in space program as Pakistan recently sent a lunar satellite and a space satellite recently with Chinese collaboration.

Referring to the sad and gruesome attack by TTP killing five Chinese workers in Besham in April, Prime Minister Shehbaz condemned the incident and conveyed his deepest condolence to the families of those who were killed. He said the incident which sent a shock wave across Pakistan was the nefarious plot of enemies of China-Pakistan friendship and CPEC as well as those who did not want to see bilateral ties rising to the apex of glory.

“I want to make a solemn pledge that whatever is humanly possible, we will put in all measures and arrangements to protect the lives of every Chinese citizen in Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, KP, GB and AJK. I want to make a solemn commitment that the security of Chinese nationals will be more than that of my own and my children,” he assured.

Also, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday reiterating his government’s commitment to strengthen the alternative energy system in the country highlighted that there existed a huge potential for investment in the sector. The prime minister, in a meeting with Chairman of Power China here, said that his government was taking massive action to curb power theft across the country.

The Power China chairman appreciated the high quality and swift completion of Sahiwal Coal Power Plant, also mentioning the Pakistan Speed and Punjab Speed in the reference to the accelerated completion of development projects.

The company chairman told the prime minister that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would be signed with Pakistan to improve the power transmission network and reduce the line losses.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar, Power Minister Awais Ahmed Leghari and Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi also attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday visited Zhongguancun Science Park, China’s Silicon Valley in the outskirts of Beijing.

He was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and other members of the entourage.

The prime minister was briefed on China’s tech start-ups culture and the innovative environment and cutting-edge research taking place in the Science Park. The discussions focused on potential collaboration and partnerships in tech start-ups, R&D centers, and digital infrastructure.

The prime minister appreciated the scientific and technological advancement in China and highlighted the immense potential for cooperation between Pakistan and China which can boost technological progress and innovation in Pakistan.