ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rasheed on Monday said completion of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will increase trade between the two countries manifold.

He was speaking at a cultural event, ‘Salam Confucius’ organised by the Pakistan-China Institute in collaboration with China’s Tsinghua University and the Bolin Cultural Group.

The event, held at the Pak China Friendship Centre, is part of celebrations marking 2015 as the ‘Year of Pakistan-China Cultural Contact’.

Mr Rasheed, who is also the minister for culture, said relations between the two countries had strengthened in different areas.

However, cultural relations, which started in the ‘60s, are very important because they brought the two nations closer.

He said the Pakistan-China cultural corridor was as important as the CPEC.

Chairman Senate Defence Committee Mushahid Hussain Syed said Confucius had great impact on most Asian civilisations.

He said this cultural event was the fi rst step in bringing peoples of the two countries closer.

He said it was decided that the cultural event should start with Confucius because he gave a vision some 2,500 years ago, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, acting Chinese Ambassador Zhao Lijian said Confucius was a worldwide famous philosopher whose teachings set education standards.

“China has promoted Confucius institutes and classes all over the world. Around 500 Confucius institutes and 800 classes have been playing an active role in cultural relations. There are three institutes in Islamabad, Faisalabad and Karachi. Similar institutes will also be opened in other cities of Pakistan,” he said.

President Bolin Cultural Group Mr Lin Youwu said diplomatic relations between the two countries started in 1951 and the bilateral relations have strengthened.

Prof at Tsinghua University, Mr Li Xiguange, said some students from Pakistan were studying in his university and he was trying to increase their number.

He said while coming to Pakistan by road he saw the old Silk Road which was used for trade for centuries.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2015

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