Chairman of the Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that Pakistan-China friendship is an enduring and timeless bond of brotherhood, rooted in mutual trust, respect and unwavering support.
“The friendship enjoys broad political support across Pakistan and represents a national consensus,” he said while addressing a thematic briefing titled “Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building”, arranged by the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan and the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS).
Gilani said the Pakistan-China relationship had remained steadfast over the years and continued to grow through cooperation, shared interests and strong people-to-people ties.
The seminar was attended by Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China in Pakistan Jiang Zaidong, a visiting delegation from the Party Building Research Institute of the Organisation Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), representatives of Pakistan’s political parties and other prominent personalities.
At the outset of the seminar, the Chairman Senate conveyed a special message from the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari.
In his message, the President welcomed the distinguished CPC delegation and representatives of Pakistan’s political parties, saying that Pakistan-China friendship had stood the test of time and continued to play an important role in promoting the mutual interests of the two countries and their peoples.
The President said that such exchanges provided an important opportunity for political parties to learn from each other’s experiences in party development, governance and state administration, while further promoting mutual understanding.
He appreciated the achievements of the Communist Party of China in leading China’s development, progress and prosperity, noting that China’s experience offered valuable guidance for strengthening institutional capacity and making governance more effective.
In his address, Chairman Senate said that Pakistan and China were “iron brothers” and strategic partners who had consistently stood by each other through difficult times. He said that bilateral relations had evolved far beyond traditional diplomatic ties into a comprehensive partnership based on mutual trust, respect and shared interests.
He emphasized that sustained political, parliamentary and institutional engagement was essential for further consolidating the foundations of bilateral relations and promoting greater people-to-people understanding.
He added that political parties had a key role to play in ensuring the continuity and sustainability of national policies and strategic partnerships.
Referring to China’s remarkable development and transformation, Chairman Senate said that China’s achievements offered valuable lessons for developing countries, particularly in the areas of governance, institutional strengthening, economic development, poverty alleviation, human resource development and technological advancement.
The Chairman Senate reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to the One-China policy and appreciated China’s consistent support for Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national development. He said that China remained a key pillar of Pakistan’s foreign policy and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Gilani congratulated the Chinese leadership and people on the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and underscored the importance of party-to-party contacts and exchanges in promoting mutual understanding and learning from each other’s experiences.
He reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to further expand cooperation with China and expressed confidence that growing political, parliamentary and party-level engagement would create new opportunities for cooperation, mutual learning and institutional development.
The Chairman Senate also appreciated the continued support extended to Pakistan by the Chinese leadership and people, saying that the friendship between Pakistan and China held a unique and deeply cherished place in the hearts of the Pakistani people.
He expressed the hope that the constructive and fruitful discussions at the seminar would contribute to further strengthening the bonds of friendship, cooperation and mutual understanding between Pakistan and China.
Earlier, a Chinese delegation led by Mr. Liu Dashiu, First-Level Inspector of the Party Building Research Institute of the Organisation Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, accompanied by Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong, called on Chairman Senate.
Chairman Senate warmly welcomed the delegation and appreciated the growing contacts and exchanges between the Communist Party of China and Pakistan’s political parties and institutions.
Welcoming the delegation to Pakistan, Chairman Senate said that party-to-party contacts and exchanges provided an important and effective platform for dialogue, mutual learning and the sharing of experiences in the fields of political party development, governance and state administration.
Recalling his visit to China during his tenure as Prime Minister, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani said that his meetings with the Chinese leadership had been highly productive and valuable.
He said that Pakistan-China relations were historical in nature and that the peoples of both countries held their enduring bonds of friendship in the highest regard.
