Urumqi, 21 October 2023 (TDI): President of Xinjiang University, Yao Qiang, and members of the academia welcomed Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar, during his visit to Xinjiang University, on October 20.
The interim Prime Minister was in China to attend the 3rd Belt and Road Forum. He spoke to a sizable audience of eminent academics, researchers, professors, and students.
The Prime Minister emphasized that his trip to Xinjiang marked a turning point in Pakistan and China’s long-lasting partnership.
In order to promote mutual peace, prosperity, and development, he also reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to fortifying the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership.
Prime Minister lauded the strategic significance of Xinjiang as a frontier of CPEC and noted the region’s historical role as a hub of connectivity as part of the ancient Silk Road.
The Prime Minister expressed Pakistan’s interest in working with Xinjiang to promote connectivity.
This includes areas such as infrastructure development, economic synergy, trade and investment, agriculture, educational exchanges, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges.
He stated, “The two neighboring regions had the potential to build synergies for improving the livelihoods of their people,” while speaking to the teachers and students at Xinjiang University.
In order to promote commerce and travel, he stated, “We would like to upgrade the customs and other logistics services.”
Moreover, he referred to Gwadar as a vital part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He also suggested strengthening economic ties with China’s Kashgar and Karamay through the use of sister-city relationships.
“We want to establish a joint agricultural demonstration zone to introduce modern farming techniques and practices in Pakistan, and we want to learn from Xinjiang’s success in agricultural modernization,” he stated.
He stated that Pakistan wants more of its students to study in China. Furthermore, he added that a group of fifteen Chinese tour operators had recently visited Pakistan and returned across the Sost Khunjerab border.
The Prime Minister added that Xinjiang was well-known for its rich cultural variety and kind hospitality and that Pakistanis had a particular place in their hearts for the region’s ties to their country.
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In addition, he discussed the Middle East’s predicament and urged action to put an end to the barbaric atrocities committed against the Palestinian people.
During the event, the Prime Minister spoke with Chinese and Pakistani students and expressed the hope that they would serve as a bridge of peace and fraternity in the future between their nations.
He also visited Xinjiang University’s History Museum, where they provided him with a briefing on the university’s 99-year-old past.
