LAHORE, March 28: Pakistan-China friendship is based on mutual respect and trust and has stood the test of time, a handout quoted Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif as saying at a function in connection with 60 years of Pakistan-China diplomatic relations at Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Monday.

Sharif said China was a sincere friend of Pakistan and played an important role in its progress. He said the friendship between the two countries was an example for the rest of the world. He said China helped Pakistan during natural calamities and other testing times.

The chief minister said China played a key role in the promotion of economic activities in Pakistan and development of various sectors. He said relations between the two countries were more than six decades old and China always helped Pakistan like a sincere friend.

He said people of the two countries had deep love and affection for each other and it was need of the hour that bilateral relations between the two countries should be strengthened and China should make investment in energy, infrastructure and other sectors in Pakistan. He said he would visit China next month on the invitation of the Chinese prime minister and sign agreements for cooperation in energy, infrastructure and other sectors.

Ambassador Liu Jian said China would continue to cooperate with Pakistan in energy, infrastructure and other sectors.

Earlier, Jian held a meeting with Sharif and discussed matters of mutual interest.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Iqbal Khan, Senior Adviser Sardar Zulfiqar Khosa, Education Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, MNA Hanif Abbasi, MPAs Shehzadi Omarzadi Tiwana and Hafiz Mian Noman, Adviser Zakia Shahnawaz, Chief Secretary Nasir Mehmood Khosa, Punjab Investment Board Vice-Chairman Rizwanullah Khan and Chief Minister’s Special Initiative Entity Chairman Haroon Khwaja were also present.

Also, Jian said at a seminar at the Government College University that China would fulfill all its commitments with Pakistan on energy, agriculture, industry and development. He said China would provide support in rehabilitation of flood-hit areas.

Prof Ikram-ul-Haq, who is holding look after charge of the office of the GCU vice-chancellor, said Pakistan should intensify cooperation with China in the field of science and technology, applied sciences as well as Chinese and Urdu languages.

Prof Hassan Askari said language was the biggest hurdle in establishing people-to-people contact between China and Pakistan. He laid a stress on setting up Chinese language centres across Pakistan. He highlighted the need for faculty and student exchange programmes with Chinese universities. He said China always showed patience in its relations with Pakistan and never showed any displeasure despite Pakistan’s tilt toward the West.

Former foreign secretary Shamshad Khan, Air Vice Marshall Anwar Mahmood Khan (retired), Institute for Strategic Studies’ Amna Khan and Ravian Kamran Khan also spoke.