KARACHI, May 3: President Asif Ali Zardari conferred Hilal-i-Quaid-i-Azam on Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Liu Jian at a special investiture ceremony held here at the Bilawal House on Friday.

The award has been conferred on Mr Liu in recognition of his ‘pivotal role’ in further cementing and expanding the existing strategic friendship between Pakistan and China and for his untiring efforts to enhance mutual cooperation between the two countries in diverse fields, according to an official statement.

The ceremony was attended among others by Sindh Chief Minister retired Justice Zahid Kurban Alavi, president’s spokesman Senator Farhatullah Babar, Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jillani, ministers, members of diplomatic community, senior officials of the Chinese embassy and other senior officials.

The citation read out on the occasion said Mr Liu Jian had devoted his energies to forging ties between the two countries in the fields of defence, strategic relations, culture, sports and people-to-people contacts during his three-year tenure as ambassador to Pakistan. The Gwadar Port Project, which is a hallmark of the Pak-China strategic partnership, was handed over to a Chinese company during his tenure.

Being a great friend of Pakistan, Mr Liu would be remembered for his commitment to strengthening bilateral relations in diverse fields, the citation said.

Later, Mr Liu called osn President Zardari and discussed with him matters relating to Pak-China bilateral relations.

Senator Babar said the president congratulated the ambassador on the conferment of the award and praised the invaluable contributions made by him during his tenure.

The president said the high-level visits and frequent interaction between the top leaders of the two countries were a testimony to Mr Liu’s untiring efforts to further enhance the brotherly ties between the two countries.

He said Mr Liu was instrumental in fetching Chinese investment in various sectors in Pakistan, including infrastructure, energy, communications and agriculture.

Mr Zardari said the people and the government of Pakistan valued the fraternal relations with China demonstrated by the fact that the government and people of China had always stood by Pakistan in times of distress. He said the two countries would always stand together under all circumstances.

The president said Pakistan was proud of its time-tested and all-weather friendship with China and expressed satisfaction over the current level of bilateral trade that reached $12.4 billion in 2012 with a three-fold increase in Pakistan’s exports to China since 2008 reaching $3.14bn in 2012.

He appreciated China’s economic support and assistance to the socio-economic development of Pakistan and said that Pakistan wanted to promote closer collaboration in agriculture, irrigation, security, energy, railways and infrastructure development.

Mr Liu thanked the president and the government of Pakistan for conferring on him the Hilal-i-Quaid-i-Azam. He assured Mr Zardari that he would continue to be a friend of Pakistan.