ISLAMABAD: “We will be happy if you include your talented daughter Maryam Nawaz in the visiting delegation,” a press release issued by the PML-N media cell quoted Chinese vice minister of international department as saying on Monday.
The prime minister’s daughter Maryam Safdar is the de facto head of the media cell.
Zheng Xiaosong was talking to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during his visit to the PM’s House. The prime minister told Xiaosong that they raised a Special Security Division (SSD), comprising of 15,000 military and civilian armed forces for ensuring safety of the Chinese working on different projects under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Welcoming the vice minister on his visit to Pakistan, Nawaz said Pakistan and China were close friends, neighbours and partners. He underlined the benefits of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which were visible in growing bilateral trade that crossed the figure of $18 billion this year.
The enormous potential of trade between China and Pakistan would further enhance the quantum of bilateral trade between the two countries, he added. He emphasised that Pakistan remained committed to fighting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, without any discrimination and the ongoing military operation against terrorists yielded very positive results.
He said further the war on terrorism would be taken to its logical end and the terrorists’ backbone had already been broken. He hoped that the visit of Zheng Xiaosong would further strengthen the warm and friendly relations between the two countries. “Mr. Prime Minister! You are a household name in China. China-Pakistan friendship has entered into a new phase during the present government in Pakistan,” the press release quoted Zheng Xiaosong as saying.
He said they were satisfied with the pace of implementation work on various projects under CPEC, especially in Punjab, the speedy work was exemplary. The vice minister said alongside the rapidly improving relations between China and Pakistan, the ties between the Communist Party of China and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz were also fast increasing. He added the delegation level exchanges between the two political parties were also welcoming, adding, “We need to continue the high level exchanges between our two countries and political parties.”
