Honorable Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, Speaker of the Punjab Provincial Assembly,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon!

It is my great pleasure to have all of you in celebrating the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. I would like to extend a warm welcome to all the distinguished guests, and express my sincere gratitude to Pakistani friends from all walks of life, who have long cared for and supported China’s development and committed themselves to China-Pakistan friendship, and send my heartfelt greetings to all Chinese nationals working and living in Punjab.

Over the past 77 years, the Chinese people, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, have worked together in unity, made unremitting explorations, opened up the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and created miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, under the firm leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the cause of the Party and the country has achieved historic accomplishments and undergone historic transformations. China is now advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese modernization. We have won the largest battle against poverty in human history, built a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and embarked on a new journey to build a modern socialist country in all respects.

2026 marks opening year of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, and the Chinese economy has demonstrated strong resilience and vitality. The GDP growth rate has remained above 5%, the value-added of the manufacturing sector has ranked first in the world for many consecutive years, the resilience and security levels of industrial and supply chains have steadily improved, and the development wave of new quality productive forces is surging. Strategic emerging industries including artificial intelligence, new energy vehicles, and industrial robots are growing at an accelerated pace. Meanwhile, we stay committed to a people‑centered approach to improve people’s well-being. China has established the world’s largest education system, social security system and medical and health system. The achievements in poverty alleviation have been continuously consolidated, rural revitalization is being advanced across the board, and the people's sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security is constantly growing.

China will not seek prosperity for itself alone. The vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind and the four Global Initiatives put forward by President Xi Jinping have provided Chinese solutions to a world beset by intertwined changes and turmoil. China drives global recovery through its own growth, contributing around 30 percent to world economic growth for many years. China has become a major trading partner for more than 140 countries and regions, and keeps delivering new opportunities for the world via the Chinese modernization.

The fundamental reason for the steady and sustained growth of China’s development lies in the firm leadership of the Communist Party of China. Over the past 105 years, the CPC has united and led the Chinese people in integrating the basic principles of Marxism with China’s specific realities and fine traditional Chinese culture. We pursue truth with unwavering resolve, remain deeply rooted in the people, shoulder historic missions, follow the trend of development, have the courage and ability to carry out struggles, and focus on self-strengthening. This is the spiritual code that has enabled the CPC to weather all sorts of hardships and maintain its vitality. It is also the source of strength for China’s diplomacy featuring confidence, independence, a global vision, and openness and inclusiveness.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Global challenges are intertwined and compounding. Nevertheless, China‑Pakistan relations have always operated at a high level and grown stronger over time. As President Xi Jinping has pointed out, over the 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, the two countries have understood, trusted and supported each other, forging an unbreakable traditional friendship. We are pleased to see that Pakistan has made new progress in national development and seen its international influence continuously rise, making important contributions to de-escalating regional hot-spots and promoting multi-lateralism.

Punjab Province has maintained sound momentum of economic growth with continuous improvement in people’s livelihood, making it one of the most dynamic parts on Pakistan’s development landscape. What is more encouraging is that on the 75th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties, China‑Pakistan relations and cooperation in Punjab have yielded fruitful results.

Our political mutual trust has been continuously consolidated. This year, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have paid successful visits to China. Leaders of the two countries have reached important new consensus on building an even closer China‑Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era. Hon. Chief Minister and Hon.the Speaker have each led delegations to China, promoting sub‑national exchanges and people‑to‑people bonds between Punjab province and Chinese provinces and cities. A series of celebratory events marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties have been successfully held across Punjab, including receptions, cultural exhibitions, and trade fairs, carrying forward our unbreakable iron-clad friendship.

Our practical cooperation has gone deeper and delivered more tangible outcomes. The China‑Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is moving forward in depth toward its upgraded Version 2.0. The two sides focus on three priority sectors: agriculture, industry and mining, and strive to build the “Five Corridors” of Growth, Livelihoods, Innovation, Green, Openness. In Punjab, the Sahiwal Power Plant provides stable electricity, the Orange Line Metro continues to facilitate public travel, and Chinese agricultural machinery, seed industry, and drip irrigation technologies are making their way into farmlands. The Lahore business community and the Chinese side have deeply engaged in in-depth cooperation in areas such as industrial parks, textiles, and engineering machinery, enabling the dividends of the corridor to extend from mega-projects to small and medium-sized enterprises, and extend to the ordinary people across Pakistan.

China and Pakistan act in synergy in international coordination. We jointly act on the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity. We maintain close coordination on multilateral platforms such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. We firmly uphold the international system with the UN at its core and the international order based on international law. We stand for dialogue, consultation, and work to promote peace on regional hot-spot issues, injecting much-needed stability and positive energy into a turbulent and changing world.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Standing at a new historical starting point, we are ready to work with the Pakistani side to take the implementation of the Action Plan for Building an Even Closer China‑Pakistan Community with a Shared Future in the New Era as our main thread, and further deepen our iron‑clad friendship and all‑round cooperation in the following respects.

First, consolidate the foundation for friendship across generations. We will continue to firmly support each other in safeguarding our respective core interests. We will scale up exchanges between Punjab Province and China in political parties, legislative bodies, media, youth, think‑tanks and other areas, so that China‑Pakistan friendship will take root in the hearts of young people generation after generation.

Second, pioneer a new chapter in CPEC development. We will better align China’s 15th Five‑Year Plan with Pakistan’s federal “Uraan Pakistan” initiative and the Punjab Innovation‑driven Values, Opportunities and Transformation (PIVOT) initiative. We will accelerate cooperation in agriculture, textiles, new energy, digital economy, industrial parks and other sectors, to effectively support Punjab in strengthening its economic resilience and capacity for independent development.

Third, jointly shoulder the responsibility for a shared future for humanity. We will work with all sectors in Punjab to promote the implementation of the four Global Initiatives, practice true multilateralism, oppose unilateralism and hegemony and bullying practices, and promote the evolution of international order toward a more just and equitable direction.

To conclude, we stand ready to join hands with Pakistan to accelerate the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, elevate the China-Pakistan All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership to a higher level, bring greater benefits to the two peoples, and inject stronger positive energy into regional and world peace and stability, and consolidate the certainty of China-Pakistan relations in braving any uncertainties in the international landscape. China-Pakistan relations enjoy a bright future.

May the People's Republic of China enjoy prosperity and peace!

May the China-Pakistan friendship endure forever and be passed down from generation to generations!

May the people of Punjab Province and Pakistan enjoy happiness, health, and every success!

China-Pakistan Dosti Zindabad!

Thank you!