Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz inaugurated the first Pakistan-China Energy Forum in Islamabad Tuesday.

 

"The phenomenal economic growth and technological transformation of China is a source of strength for us," he said in a keynote speech to over 500 government officials, entrepreneurs and scholars from both China and Pakistan.

 

"We take great pride in the economic accomplishments of China and wish to develop further linkages to fully realize the tremendous potential that our economic complementarities provide for common progress and prosperity," he said.

 

Pointing out that the Pak-China friendship is deeper than the deepest oceans and mightier than the mightiest of mountains, Aziz said, "Pakistan should be the destination of choice for Chinese investment because of close geographical proximity and our geo-economic relevance."

 

"Time has come to reinforce our traditional friendship with a strong and vibrant economic partnership," he added.

 

In his speech, First Vice Chairman of the All China Federation of Industry and Commerce Hu Deping said that China and Pakistan are all-weather friends and are enjoying all-dimensional brotherly friendship.

 

"Pakistan has been the most trustworthy friend to China," Hu said. "The relationship between the two countries has never been shaken or twisted."

 

Hu said that the two sides are developing energy sources which are recyclable, environment-friendly and replaceable.

 

"Today we exchange views at the same forum. Tomorrow we may drill on the same oil field," Hu said.

 

Mao Siwei, Charge d' Affaires ad Interim of the Chinese embassy said that the Pakistan-China Energy Forum has been a rare economic event in the two countries' economic activities in Pakistan in recent years, which is significant to the further promotion of the two countries' economic relations, the strengthening of their energy cooperation and the establishment of the energy corridor through Pakistan to China.

 

(Xinhua News Agency April 26, 2006)