Pakistani PM praises Beijing's development

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday that Pakistan will learn from China's development experience and will write its own stories of success, while addressing a China-Pakistan Friendship and Business Reception in Beijing.

He is on a five-day official visit to China and Beijing is the second leg of the trip that had taken him to Shenzhen in Guangdong province. He will thereafter visit Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi province.

"Ever since I have landed in this great country, I have been further emboldened by your success stories," he said.

Recalling the first time he came to China in 1981 as a member of an official delegation, the prime minister said it was from that time he had believed that China was experiencing success, not failure.

He mentioned an ancient Chinese fable, "the foolish old man who removed the mountains", saying it was "the greatest story of struggle, hard work, untiring efforts, and blood and sweat", which has made China today a great country on the planet.

He called on the Pakistani people to accept challenges and learn from China. "If we follow the Chinese model, I have no doubt that Pakistan will regain its position and be respected like Chinese brothers and sisters," he said.

He lauded President Xi Jinping as one of the greatest visionary leaders around the globe, saying Xi has shown the entire world that common development is possible through cooperation and hard work.

Leading a delegation of around 80 local enterprises, Sharif is scheduled to meet with Chinese leaders on Friday and the two sides will have in-depth exchanges of views on bilateral relations and issues of common concern, and make plans for the future development of China-Pakistan relations.

This is the leader's first visit to China since the establishment of the new Pakistani government in March.