PESHAWAR, Dec 6: A delegation of Chinese writers and scholars arrived to a warm welcome accorded by the provincial chapter of the Academy of Letters here on Saturday.

The director of the Academy and renowned poet, Iftikhar Arif, said the friendship between China and Pakistan had strengthened with the passage of time.

“There is harmony in both countries on arts and other matters. Both countries have strong bilateral relations which are going to be long-lasting and are against no other country,” he said.

Introducing the Chinese writers, Arif particularly mentioned the name of Ching Ming Chiang, a professor of Urdu at Beijing University. Mr Chiang has translated Shaukat Siddiqui’s Khuda ki Basti into Chinese language and has been awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz by Pakistan for his work. He has also translated Khushal Khan Khattak’s poetry.

The Chinese delegation is consisted of dramatists and poets.

The deputy speaker of the NWFP Assembly, Ikramullah Shahid, said: “We are proud of our friendly relations with China”.

The Pushto poet and ANP leader, Ajmal Khattak, shared his memories of the visit to China and the warm welcome he had received from the Chinese people years ago.

Mr Chiang said he had been visiting Pakistan for a long time and never felt strangeness here. “I will go back to China with a message of love from the people of Pakistan,” he said.