The Prime Minister’s just concluded visit to China was perhaps not just the "photo-op" that a senior member of the Chinese think-tank, Institute of International Relations, had once characterised the trips of leaders from Pakistan. Preparation and research in Mian Nawaz Sharif’s discussions with the hosts was reflective of the seriousness of purpose. He held meetings with President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang. The outcome: “more fruitful than expected”. Though other aspects of bilateral relations were not lost sight of – for instance, the economic corridor, Gwadar-Kashgar highway – making up the energy deficiency claimed the Prime Minister’s single-minded attention. At the same time, Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif, who accompanied him, as did Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik, kept himself busy in holding meetings with the CEOs of companies known for power production, laying of infrastructure and running the transport business.The tremendous response the Chinese gave to the Prime Minister's overtures of cooperation in undertaking various projects requiring billions of dollars of investment justifies Mian Shahbaz Sharif's observation that this could not have been achieved without China's official encouragement. Energy was not the only field in which they came forward to help. They also took up the challenge of building metro bus systems in several towns of Punjab, underground railway in Karachi and infrastructure projects. Representatives of the construction concern originally assigned the Nandipur Power Station (450MW) rushed to Pakistan and came here even a day before the Chief Minister’s return; the recce teams of certain projects would be here soon; and work on some of them would start in a month’s time, matching the sense of urgency that is a hallmark of Mian Shahbaz’s activity. In all honesty, the critics who term it 'ruinous impatience' must first take stock of the endless tales of delays that the corrupt, visionless and indifferent leadership has caused in the execution of key-to-progress projects, before pointing fingers at this much-needed urgency. A China Cell at PM House will soon be set up to monitor and pursue the work on projects to forestall delay.Mian Nawaz did not overlook the painful reality of poor security situation in the country, regretted the Diamir incident and held out the assurance that all-out efforts would be made to provide security to the Chinese in Pakistan. Hopefully, the evidence of projects being started and pursued in earnest, with bricks and mortar proof, would in future replace mere expressions of the past promising to enlarge the scope of cooperation.