ISLAMABAD: President Dr. Arif Alvi conferred Pakistan’s second-highest civil award, Hilal-i-Pakistan on Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng during an investiture ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadar in Islamabad on Monday.
The award was given to the Chinese visiting dignitary to honour his important role in the strengthening of bilateral relations between Pakistan and China.
The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other key civil and military leaders.
The Chinese vice premier He Lifeng arrived on three-day visit in Islamabad on Sunday. He was received at the airport by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.
Earlier today, Pakistan and China inked six agreements for the promotion of bilateral cooperation. The ceremony was attended by PM Shehbaz Sharif, the Chinese vice premier, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and other dignitaries.
Addressing the occasion, PM Shehbaz Sharif thanked the Chinese president Xi Jinping for sending his senior official to Pakistan, expressing the importance of people-to-people friendship between the two nations.
President Dr. Arif Alvi conferred the award of Hilal-e-Pakistan upon the Special Representative of the Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Vice-Premier of the State Council of China, Mr. He Lifeng, at a special investiture ceremony, held at Aiwan-e-Sadr. pic.twitter.com/taFjkqOPjX
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) July 31, 2023
Pak-China cooperation
The prime minister said that he had no doubt that both countries are entering into the second phase of CPEC. Today, both sides inked some important agreements which will enhance economic cooperation.
He underlined that the deals would lead to investments in IT and agriculture, enabling Pakistan, with China’s support, to export goods according to the needs and standards of the Chinese government.
He added that CPEC was inked by then prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping, and it was being promptly implemented.
The premier said that more than 25 billion dollars investment took place in energy, public transport, power, and other sectors.
He also thanked the Chinese vice premier for visiting Pakistan as the two nations celebrate 10 years of the mega-project CPEC.
After the event, delegation-level talks were held, in prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and He Lifeng discussed multiple secotors of bilateral cooperation.
