This year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. On May 23, the “Enhancing Understanding and Carrying Forward Friendship” China-Pakistan Youth Friendship Exchange Event was held at Capital Normal University (CNU) as part of the China-Pakistan Political Parties Forum. The event was hosted by the Bureau I of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC) and organized by CNU. Nearly 40 Pakistani political party leaders and guests from various sectors attended the event, including Anusha Rahman Ahmad Khan, Deputy Secretary-General of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Commerce.

Lin Tao, Deputy Director-General of the Bureau I of IDCPC, highlighted that China and Pakistan have a friendship forged in adversity. Two countries are brothers bound by trust and righteousness, and partners committed to justice and shared principles. He noted that “Political Party Plus” cooperation is an important part of inter-party exchanges between China and Pakistan. In recent years, the two sides have promoted various forms of exchanges and cooperation, including “Political Party Plus Youth” initiatives, further strengthening friendship. He expressed the hope that young people from both countries should take this event as an opportunity to become inheritors, champions and promoters of China-Pakistan friendship.

Agha Shahzaib Durrani, leader of the PML-N and Chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, said that the development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has not only transformed Pakistan’s development landscape, but also created ample opportunities for cooperation between young people of the two countries. He expressed the hope that young people from both countries should strengthen exchanges and collaboration in areas such as education, science and technology, and culture, to jointly elevate Pakistan-China friendship to new heights.

In the exchange session, political party representatives, experts, academics and young students from China and Pakistan held dialogues on three topics: “Carrying Forward China-Pakistan Friendship from Generation to Generation”, “Appreciating Diverse Civilizations through Mutual Learning”, and “Young People Joining Hands to Create a Shared Future”. Participants shared stories of China-Pakistan friendship from their own perspectives and looked ahead to a bright future of cooperation between the young people of the two countries.

The China-Pakistan Political Parties Forum and the Meeting of CPEC Political Parties Joint Consultation Mechanism, hosted by the IDCPC, concluded recently in Beijing under the theme “Jointly Building a China-Pakistan Community with a Shared Future in the New Era: Political Parties in Action”. This youth friendship exchange event is a sub-forum of the China-Pakistan Political Parties Forum.