ISLAMABAD: A Chinese parliamentary delegation is arriving on a two-day official visit to Pakistan on the invitation of Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani.
The delegates will be led by Yu Zhengsheng, Chairman of National Committee of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
The delegation will exchange views with the Pakistani leadership on matters pertaining to further enhancing bilateral cooperation besides discussing regional and global issues having significance for both Beijing and Islamabad.
In a statement issued by the Senate Secretariat, the visiting dignitaries will hold meetings with President Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Senate Chairman and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to explore avenues of mutual cooperation and enhancing parliamentary cooperation. Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership is based on shared principles and interests and forms the foundation of cooperation in diverse fields. Both countries enjoy close cooperation and hold similar views on important world issues. Long and rich history of close and cordial ties resonates strongly at official as well as other popular levels.
Parliaments of the two countries enjoy close and cordial ties. Frequent visits of parliamentarians from both sides have added vigour and vitality to the relationship. Recent visits from Pakistan to China include the visit by the NA speaker in January 2015 and the Senate chairman in November 2015.
Delegations from Pakistan and China also met at the 9th Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership meeting held in Mongolia in April 2016. A 15-member delegation of Parliamentary Committee on CPEC led by Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed visited China in May 2016 to promote consensus on CPEC. The visit helped the delegation to obtain the Chinese perspective on CPEC and deliver the message that political parties in Pakistan support CPEC and there are no differences among them when it comes to China-Pakistan friendship. There is, however, a need to encourage more visits from the Chinese side to Pakistan as Parliaments are the ultimate peoples’ forums in any country. Platforms like the Pakistan-China Parliamentary Friendship Group can play an important role in this regard, besides facilitating greater people-to-people contacts between the two countries. This would also promote mutual understanding and learning between the legislators of the two countries.
