REMARKS OF THE PRIME MINISTER AT THE
PEKING UNIVERSITY
Honourable President of the Peking University, Respected Faculty Members,
Dear students, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so pleased to visit Peking University.
This University is one of the oldest and finest in the world. Of
course, besides academic excellence, this University has a beautiful campus.
Educational institutions are the real strength of any country, any nation.
Professors, scholars, researchers and students of this University have
contributed in a big way to expanding the horizons of knowledge. This University
has produced many distinguished leaders. Its graduates have worked towards
making of China’s economic miracle. The veritable renaissance of the Chinese
civilization in all its splendour that we witness today could be attributed to the fine
work of this great institution.
Pakistan values the contribution that this University has made towards promoting
China-Pakistan friendship. Graduates from the Urdu Department of this
University are a real asset. I had the privilege of meeting some of those young
men and women, who are serving in various capacities in Pakistan and speak
Urdu fluently. We are also privileged to have a Pakistan Study Centre at this
University. I would like to compliment Professor Tang Mengsheng, Director of the
Centre for his personal interest and solid contribution to promoting greater
contacts and collaboration between Pakistan and China. My visit to this
University is also to express our thanks to all of you for the contribution that you
continue to make to strengthen China-Pakistan friendship. We are celebrating
the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two
countries. Special events are being organized both in Pakistan and China
throughout this year, which we have declared as the Friendship Year. The
friendship theme runs through the discourse in Pakistan-China relations in all
domains. From the leadership level to the ordinary people, this is the common
theme. It is due to the spontaneous affinity, love and affection that our two
peoples have for each other. It is the abiding theme that transcends inter-state
relations. In short, it is like being one people and two countries. Successive
generations of leaders in our both countries have held high the banner of
Pakistan-China friendship. The foundations of this special and unique
relationship were laid by the founder of the Pakistan People’s
Party, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, together with Chairman Mao Zedong and
Premier Zhou Enlai. On this occasion, we pay tribute to the architects of
Pakistan-China friendship and to all those who contributed to the flourishing of
this beautiful friendship and partnership.
It is important for us to ensure that the shining torch of this most prized
relationship is carried on from generation to generation. I believe that the
scholars, researchers and students of our two countries have a special role to
play in this regard. Our all-weather friendship and strategic cooperative
partnership has stood the test of time and the changes in the international and
regional situation. We have stood by each other at all times and under all
circumstances.
We are grateful for the unstinted support and solidarity shown by people and
Government of China towards Pakistan. During the 2005 earthquake and
unprecedented floods last year, our Chinese friends came forward to assist their
Pakistani brothers and sisters with true sentiments of solidarity and humanity. We
are also grateful to China for extending its full support to Pakistan in our own
national efforts to safeguard our sovereignty and our core national interests. For
its part, Pakistan has always strongly supported China. We believe in the One
China policy and firmly support China’s principled stand on Tibet and Taiwan. We
have also contributed effectively to the fight against the “Three Evils”, terrorism,
extremism and separatism. Pakistan and China have a robust all-dimensional
relations. We seek to build further on these cooperative ties to ensure our
respective countries stability, peace and prosperity. I would like to encourage the
faculty and students of this University to give special attention to broadening
collaboration with Pakistani universities and academia. Students exchanges, joint
research projects and multi-disciplined research would be extremely useful to
provide fresh ideas and the necessary intellectual content for taking our
friendship and partnership to new heights. We need to also give thought to how
best we can utilize the valuable research that is taking place in both our countries
to be shared for mutual benefit. Periodic exchange of professors and scholars as
well as students; the study of Chinese and Urdu languages; seminars and
workshops; exchange of specialists in various disciplines would certainly
contribute to expanding the horizons of our cooperation. Peking University is
famous for its strength in Humanities and Social Sciences. The Business School
of this University is rated as among the best in the world. It would indeed be
extremely useful if the Business School could run special projects and
programmes, with a view to identifying new areas of mutuallybeneficialcooperation between China and Pakistan in the fields of economy and
trade. It would also be extremely useful if studies are commissioned under the
Ph.D. programmes to not only research the contemporary history but also to
rediscover the roots of our civilizational interactions spanning several
millenniums.
Such research will give deeper meaning and reveal the true essence of the
abiding friendship between our two proud and courageous peoples.
We should do this to rediscover our collective rich cultural heritage, which our
two countries not only cherish but we are also determined to enrich it. Youth are
the largest segment of society in China and Pakistan. The story of China’s
success that we see today in successful space missions, high speed trains,
emerging entrepreneurial class and excellence in sports, is being written by
talented Chinese youth. Young men and women in Pakistan are inspired by
these achievements. I am happy to note that some 6000 Pakistani students are
studding in China. We will continue to encourage this trend.
The China Radio International is running excellent programmes in its
Urdu service. More and more Urdu speaking graduates of the Peking
University are choosing to work in Pakistan for Chinese companies and media.
We deeply appreciate their contribution. I wish to thank the Peking University for
enabling us to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China on its campus today. This
indeed demonstrates our shared resolve to utilize the talent of young men and
women for taking our friendship to ever greater heights.
Long live Pakistan-China friendship.
====