Pakistan National Assembly Speaker’s meetings in Urumqi

September 21,2016

Speaker National Assembly of Pakistan, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq met with Vice Chairman of National People’s Congress Mr. Ailigeng Yimingbahai,Governor of Xinjiang Autonomous Region Mr. Shorat Zakir and Party Secretary of Xinjiang Province Mr. Chen Quanguo today.  The Speaker also met with the Vice Governor of Xinjiang Mr. Mutielifu Kassem. Mr. Ayaz Sadiq has been invited by the Chinese government to attend the fifth Eurasia Expo being held in Urumqi.

Welcoming the Speaker, the Chinese leaders spoke highly about Pakistan-China relations and said that this all weather friendship has endured the test of time. It has entered a new phase with the launch of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Both sides described CPEC as a game changer, which would lead to development and prosperity of the Region. They expressed great satisfaction over the progress on CPEC and vowed to meet the timelines for completion of various projects. It was recognized that Xinjiang province has a key role in the development of CPEC. In this context, it was agreed to further strengthen contacts in economic and business spheres besides promoting people-to-people contacts and parliamentary exchanges. It was also agreed that interaction shall be further reinforced between various cities, which have established sister city relationships between Xinjiang and Pakistan.

The Speaker was a key note speaker at the opening ceremony of the Eurasia Expo. He also delivered a key note address at the Belt and Road Initiative: Textile and Garment Industry Development Forum, which was attended by senior officials of Chinese Government Ministries, foreign representatives and diplomats as well as a large number of Chinese textile companies. The Speaker highlighted the opportunities existing in the textile sector in Pakistan, where joint ventures could be reached with Chinese companies. Pakistan has a strong presence in Expo with about 66 stalls and a pavilion set up by TDAP exhibiting a wide range of products.