China Pakistan File photo:VCG

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistani President Arif Alvi on Friday exchanged congratulatory messages on 70 years of diplomatic ties, highlighting mutual trust and support with all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, and a series of activities were held to celebrate the friendship that has withstood difficult times, including the pandemic. 

The top leaders expressed their wish to deepen cooperation and push forward the high-quality operation of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor. 

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also exchanged messages with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, where Li reiterated China giving priority to Pakistan in diplomacy. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi exchanged messages with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at Friday's routine press conference. 

"Chin-Pakistan Dosti Zindabad!" Zhao said in the Urdu language in wishing long-lasting China-Pakistan friendship at the press conference. 

Zhao had worked in the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan for more than eight years before being appointed as Foreign Ministry spokesperson in February 2020. 

On May 21, 2020, Zhao was also the ministry spokesperson of the day. Zhao expressed congratulations to the deep bilateral friendship and bonds and mentioned when he left the embassy, "Pakistan has stolen my heart." 

A song inspired by Zhao's remarks was produced and released on Friday, which is named "Pakistan has stolen my heart." The song, which focused on deep friendship between the two peoples and their love for their countries, went viral on Sina Weibo.

To celebrate the anniversary, China Post and Pakistan Post jointly designed and issued a special set of stamps. 

The two stamps feature the sister ports of Gwadar in Pakistan's Balochistan Province and Zhuhai in South China's Guangdong Province.  

The two ports mirrored the cooperation of the two countries under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. 

A stamp collector shows a set of stamps commemorating the 70 years of China-Pakistan diplomatic relations, which was issued on Friday, in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province. The two stamps feature sister ports Gwadar in Pakistan's Balochistan Province and Zhuhai in South China's Guangdong Province. Photo: VCG

Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque and other senior diplomats from the embassy attended the ceremony in Beijing on Friday. 

Haque said the stamps are an invaluable chronicle of the seven splendid decades of the unique and ironclad friendship. 

The ambassador had a tight schedule on the anniversary, as he also attended a livestreaming activity held by video platform Kuaishou. In the livestreaming, the ambassador recalled how late Premier Zhou Enlai was well known to every child, including himself. 

Haque recognized his work as important and challenging as he bears the responsibility to pass on the friendship that has been inherited for generations. 

The ambassador also shared how he was impressed by Wuhan, which emerged from the COVID-19 outbreak with people's resilience, patience and discipline. Haque had also been to Xinjiang, a place he saw diversity, beauty, development and children bearing hopes and aspirations.

Happy news also came from overseas as Imran Khan on Friday virtually inaugurated the 1,100-megawatt Karachi Nuclear Power Plant Unit-2 (Kanupp-2), which became possible "with the collaboration between Pakistan and China," Pakistani news outlet the Express Tribune reported Friday. 

The construction of Kanupp-2 commenced in November 2013.

According to Zhao, 120 activities in diplomatic, economic and cultural areas will be held in the year marking 70 years of friendship.