3rd Project of 2021

On celebrating 72nd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China known as China National Day set to be marked on 1st October, China Acting Counsel General Lahore Peng Zhengwu has said that the past 72 years have witnessed profound and transformative change in China and it is the Communist Party of China (CPC) that has made this change possible.

He expressed these views on a seminar titled the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and President Xi’s governance” organized by Institute of International Relations and Media Research (IIRMR) here on local hotel.

“Over the past 72 years, CPC has led the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, through pioneering and hard work, to successfully open up a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, making economic and social achievements rarely seen in human history. We have transformed the poor and backward old China into an increasingly prosperous new China with a bright future for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” he added.

Citing President Xi Jinping visit to Pakistan in 2015 when he addressed at National Assembly Pakistan, saying whenever Pakistan needs help, China will always support Pakistan, Mr Peng heralded that China will continue to propel the CPEC forward and termed 10th JCC as good fortune for both sides. Since 70 years of China-Pak diplomatic relations, he said no matter how the international landscape changes, China and Pakistan have always joined hands to forge ahead.

Over the past 72 years, Mr Peng said that CPC has led the Chinese people to win a complete victory in eradicating absolute poverty. It has raised China’s per capita GDP from less than US$200 at the start of the reform and opening-up to today over US$10,000. China has met the poverty eradication target set in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule, and according to the World Bank’s international poverty line, the number of Chinese people lifted out of poverty over the past 40 years accounts for more than 70 percent of the global total.

The 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012 marked a new era for socialism with Chinese characteristics. In this new era, the Party has strengthened its overall leadership with President Xi Jinping as the core. The 19th CPC National Congress in 2017 emphasized “Leadership by the CPC is the defining feature of Chinese socialism and the greatest strength of this system. The Party is the highest force for political leadership.” The congress confirmed this principle as a significant element of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, which has been established as the guiding ideology of the Communist Party of China and the guiding philosophy of China’s development.

President Xi’s governance not only contributes to China’s development, but also brings benefits to the world. President Xi put forward a concept — building a global community of shared future since 2012. And this concept’s connotation was enriched with the goal of creating an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity.

As we all know, the world has once again reached a crossroads, facing many difficulties such as raging Covid-19 pandemic, Cold War thinking, rising unilateralism, conventional and non-conventional security issues and so on, which together pose a severe threat to global and regional security. Therefore, there is an urgent need for human society to seek out a new philosophy and make the international system and order fairer and more reasonable.

The Belt and Road Initiative provides an important platform for building a global community of shared future. China has signed more than 200 documents on BRI cooperation with 140 countries and 32 international organizations. A World Bank report shows that the BRI could contribute to lifting 7.6 million people from extreme poverty and 32 million from moderate poverty, boost trade by 2.8 to 9.7 percent for participating countries and by 1.7 to 6.2 percent for the world, and increase global incomes by 0.7 to 2.9 percent. The BRI originated in China, but the opportunities and benefits it creates belong to the world.

This year also marks the 70th Anniversary of China-Pak diplomatic relations. Over the past 70 years, no matter how the international landscape changes, China and Pakistan have always joint hands to forge ahead. In 2015, President Xi Jinping paid a visit to Pakistan and lifted the China-Pak relations to all-weather strategic cooperative partners. In his speech addressed at National Assembly Pakistan, he said whenever Pakistan needs help, China will always support Pakistan. Since I came to Lahore 3 years ago, I have been dedicating myself to continuously consolidating and enhancing this special partnership, which, I believe, is also common pursuit of our Pakistani iron brothers. This kind of intimate and sincere friendship is a valuable asset worth cherishing from generation to generation.

IIRMR Chairman Muhammad Mehdi has dubbed CPEC as a golden opportunity that should never be missed, saying it is pity that using selected propagandists, those who are at the helm of affairs are demonizing CPEC power projects installed during previous regime just to quench the thirst of their political vendetta. Interdependency of business and energy is way forward to stamp out poverty. “Chines President Xi Jinping put into play both factor successfully and uplifted more than 770 million people out of poverty 10 years before UN poverty eradication target 2030. Pakistan can also do the wonder provided China strategy is studies and practiced,” he added.

IIRMR President Yasir Habib Khan said that 72 years of China National Day is a name of journey that unite leadership and people in one fold breaking new ground for sustainable successes. Seeking inspiration to Chinese spirit, he said that Pakistan leadership must have to meet public demands otherwise misfortunes may spiral out of control.

Additional Foreign Secretary (Rtd) Nazir Hussain said that Pakistan needs to harvest the benefits arising from the cpec phase-ii, especially the special economic zones and to exercise fiscal discipline.