Ambassador’s meeting with Party Secretary of Sichuan Province

May 15,2023

Ambassador Moin ul Haque met with Mr. Wang Xiaohui, Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Sichuan Provincial Committee, the highest ranking CPC official in the province of Sichuan. This was first meeting of the Ambassador during his four-day official visit to Sichuan province.

During the meeting, Ambassador underlined the close friendship and importance of China-Pakistan ties which was based on political trust, strategic partnership and practical cooperation.

The Ambassador acknowledged the existing enduring relationship between Pakistan and Sichuan which had grown stronger over the years especially after the opening of Consulate-General of Pakistan in Chengdu in 2007. Ambassador also expressed gratitude to the leadership and the people of Sichuan province for their timely and generous assistance to Pakistan during the Covid-19 pandemic and in the wake of recent unprecedented floods in Pakistan.

The Ambassador noted that the joint production of JF-17 Thunder Aircraft at Chengdu Aircraft Industries Corporation (CAIC) had become a symbol of our special relationship. Many enterprises from Sichuan were investing in Pakistan in energy, investment and agriculture sectors. The cultural and educational linkages were also growing with over 1,000 students enrolled in various universities in Sichuan.

Recalling the consensus reached during the recent interactions of the leadership, the Ambassador requested the support of the Party Secretary for strengthening trade, investment and developmental linkages through focused and practical cooperation by using the already-existing sister province relationship between Sichuan and Punjab.

Party Secretary Wang reaffirmed the importance of China-Pakistan relations and the enduring partnership between Sichuan and Pakistan. He also recalled the help extended by Pakistan during the earthquake in Sichuan in 2008. 

The Party Secretary briefed the Ambassador on the robust economic growth of Sichuan, as well its tourism potential, particularly as the home of a large population of pandas in the cities of Chengdu and Dujiangyan. Noting the respective strengths of the two sister provinces of Sichuan and Punjab, he agreed to advance practical cooperation in the fields of agriculture, IT and industrialization.

Ambassador also extended an invitation to the Party Secretary to lead a delegation to Pakistan for exploring investment opportunities, and also in context of the ongoing Year of China-Pakistan Tourism Exchanges.

Chengdu

15 May 2023