LAHORE, Sept 24: Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool has said the Pakistan-China friendship will continue to grow with every passing day.

The governor stated this at a reception hosted in honour of a 50-member Chinese trade delegation led by Chen Ji, vice-commissioner of Kashgar, at the Governor’s House on Sunday.

The delegation was holding an exhibition of Chinese products at the Expo Centre, Lahore, that ended on Sunday.

The governor said there was so much common among the people of Xinjiang province and Pakistan, and we should enhance interaction, besides extending educational and cultural links. New trends of bilateral cooperation were in the making in the time-test Sino-Pakistan friendship.

He said that he had recently completed a 10-day visit to China and come back with great memories of the great country. During his exchange of views with Chinese leaders and people, he said he observed and felt proud that China also considers Pakistan as her strongest friend.

Mr Maqbool said a number of agreements were signed during his visit, adding that industrial units would be set up in Punjab in collaboration with Chinese industrialists.

He said both the countries had also agreed upon to further enhance students exchange programme among each others universities.

Speaking on the occasion, Chen Ji thanked the governor for warm welcome and hospitality, and said Chinese wanted their trusted and deep friend Pakistan to be more developed and prosperous.

He said they had been arranging the industrial exhibition in collaboration with the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and the Punjab government since last year and they wanted this to be a regular feature in Pakistan.

The Karakorum highway was the best way to enhance bilateral trade, he said and added that Pakistani traders should use this route and Kashgar would be their first sojourn in China.

—APP