China and Pak to build cross border railway link

China and Pakistan are planning to build a railway line connecting the two countries from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) to Kashgar, an old Chinese Silk road town in the restive north-western Xinjiang province said Masood Khan, Pakistan's ambassador to China.

"A feasibility study of the railway had been conducted but there was still no time-table for starting the construction," Masood said.

According to Pakistan state run APP news agency, the Ambassador said that the railway line will shorten China's trading routes from the Gulf to Shanghai by 5,000 miles.

"The railway link will make the route very short,” Khan said.

After China accused Pakistan of harbouring Xinjiang’s “Islamic separatist forces”, the Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on a visit to Xinjiang last week said that the troubled region plays an important and strategic role in building relationship between the two countries.

During the visit, the Pakistani President reportedly discussed the laying down of a cross border pipeline to transport oil and gas to China through inland Eurasia.

India lays claim over the disputed PoK area and any interference by a third country in the region is bound to raise temperatures in New Delhi.

Indian intelligence agencies had in May last gathered evidence on the presence of several hundred of China’s People's Liberation Army engineers working in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir under the guise of regular Chinese workers.

A vehement China had then officially denied the presence of Chinese military in the region








source: phayul

Pakistan Successfully Launches Communication Satellite

Pakistan's state-of-the-art PakSat-1R communication satellite is launched into space from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province late Thursday night, August 11, 2011. [Photo: APP]

Reported by APP

Pakistan successfully launched into space its state-of-the-art PakSat-1R communication satellite here from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, late Thursday night.

A select group of senior Pakistani officials witnessed the Long March-3B rocket successfully carrying the communication satellite from the launch pad here with rounds of applause and jubilations visible on their faces.

Prominent among those present included Director General SPD Lt. General (Retd.)  Khalid Ahmed Kidwai, Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir, Pakistan��s Ambassador to China Masood Khan, Secretary Defence Lt. General  (Retd.) Syed Ather Ali and Chairman Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), Major General Ahmed Bilal,  besides senior officials from the Chinese government.

PakSat-1R, a geostationary and advanced communication satellite, has been jointly built by scientists and engineers from SUPARCO under the technical guidance and financial assistance from their Chinese counterpart, China National Space Administration.

The satellite carries communication payload to facilitate the introduction of a range of new services, including broadband Internet, digital television broadcasting, remote and rural telephony, emergency communications, tele-education and tele-medicine. The satellite is expected to have a lifespan of 15 years, and will be operated from SUPARCO Satellite Ground Stations located in Lahore and Karachi.

Speaking after the successful launch of the satellite, DG SPD who is leading the delegation, congratulated the entire team of Pakistani and Chinese engineers which contributed towards making this project successful. He expressed his gratitude to the government of China for providing support to Pakistan in space technology. He expressed the confidence that cooperation between the two countries in the field of space technology will continue to grow in the future, enabling Pakistan to reap rich benefits.

Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir said ��the successful launch is yet another shining illustration of the time-tested friendship between Pakistan and China and has ushered in a new era of cooperation in space technology between the two countries.��

��This also marks the next step in taking forward Pakistan��s space Programme �C2040,�� Salman Bashir said.

The launch of PakSat-1R has added a new chapter to the mutual cooperation between the all-weather allies in the field of space technology.

Ambassador Masood Khan regarded PakSat-1R��s launch as important for the country for many reasons.  ��It is a symbol of Pakistan-China cooperation in the area of space technology. It is the first of the kind to be launched by China and Pakistan. Therefore it establishes a new platform, and marks a new beginning,�� he said.

Ambassador Khan said it is our natural aspiration that a Pakistani astronaut aboard a Chinese spacecraft flies to the space, adding that ��this is possible because Pakistan and China enjoy relations of trust and confidence.��

Chairman SUPARCO Ahmed Bilal termed the launch as a ��historic event�� as it is for the first time that a commercial, fully capable communication satellite has been launched in which scientists and engineers of SUPARCO have worked very closely with the Chinese in all stages of its design and development. They have also gained firsthand experience of designing and manufacturing of Satellite, he said.

The Paksat-1R satellite is designed and manufactured by China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

The satellite has 30 transponders onboard, including 12 C band and 18 Ku band transponders. To meet the coverage requirements, Paksat-1R has advance communication antennas, covering South Asian Sub-continent, the Middle East, east Africa and part of Western European areas and cities.

The Paksat-1R Programme is China Great Wall Industry Corporation��s (CGWIC) third satellite in-orbit delivery contract with its international customers.

President CGWIC, Yin Liming and Assistant President of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) Zhao Xiao Chen, Assistant President of CASC also spoke on the occasion.

 They said the launch took place as Pakistan is celebrating its  65th Independence Day on August 14 and both Pakistan and China are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

He said the agreement to this effect was signed in October 2008, when President Asif Ali Zardari visited China, who also witnessed its signing ceremony along with President Hu Jintao.

source:- CRI English

Pakistan, China agree to set up media university

(APP) - Pakistan and China here Monday agreed in principle for establishing Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Institute for Media Sciences in Islamabad. 

The consensus was reached when Federal Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan held detailed discussions with the Chinese education minister. The two leaders discussed the proposed MoU for establishing Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Institute for Media Sciences. This will be the first phase of establishment of the university to expedite the process to finalise the MoU. Both sides appointed focal persons at the meeting.

The information minister was informed that China was ready to offer maximum number of scholarships to the students of mass communications and media professionals for PhD courses.

Dr Awan informed the Chinese minister that about 80 private TV channels were functioning in Pakistan where over 5,000 personnel were serving in various capacities. She added that most of these staffers before joining their new assignments were working in print media, therefore, they lacked exposure of electronic media. Dr Awan said that her ministry had chalked out a comprehensive programme for their capacity-building by holding various courses. The minister said during her meeting with her Chinese counterpart Wang Chen in Urumqi, they reached consensus to have a uniform media policy for the benefit of the regional countries.

The Chinese minister appreciated the efforts of Dr Awan for establishment of the university and said his government always encouraged Pakistan in various fields.

Pak-China have unique relations, says Masood Khan

Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Masood Khan has said that longevity, resilience and trust are the best words to describe Pakistan-China relations, adding that no relationship among the two sovereign states is as unique as that between Pakistan and China.

He said this in his message printed in a photo album titled Sixty years of Diplomatic Relations between Pakistan and China, recently published by the World Affairs Press of China in both Chinese and English languages. The book has included some rare photographs including those of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani,Syed Alamdar Gilani, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Chairman JCSC, General Khalid Shameem Wynne with Chinese leadership.

The picture book contains scores of historical photographs of meetings of Pakistani and Chinese leadership including Chaudhry Mohammad Ali, Ayub Khan, Mohammad Khan Junejo, Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao. In his message Yang Jiechi, China’s Minister for Foreign Affairs,said that during the last sixty years when one (of our countries) was in trouble, the other has always been there, firm as a rock.

Sino-Pakistani friendship not only meets the common aspirations and fundamental interests of our people, but also contributes to peace and stability in the region and beyond. China’s current Ambassador to Pakistan, Liu Jian said: China-Pakistan relations have gone beyond bilateral dimensions and acquired broader regional and international ramifications. Friendship towards China is embedded in the Pakistani psyche. People in Pakistan often say, we can give up gold, but not our friendship with China. Sino-Pakistani friendship is a valuable asset for the people of both countries.

President Zardari, Ambassador Khan mentioned, has said that this friendship is rooted in the hearts and minds of our two peoples. President Hu Jintao has stressed that Pakistan is China’s good neighbour, close friend, dear brother, and trusted partner. Masood Khan said in the past 60 years, our friendship has scaled many higher peaks, it has never gone through any troughs. That is its strength. Our cooperation has been based on the principles of mutual respect, mutual trust and mutual benefit. Moreover, ours is a benign relationship which has sought stability and shared prosperity. It is not directed against any other country or community.

Ambassador Masood Khan regarded Pakistan-China friendship as the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy and an aspiration shared by all political forces and all people in Pakistan. We are grateful to China for helping us build our civil and military infrastructure. China has rendered valuable assistance to Pakistan’s economy in the construction of dams, ports, roads, power plants, and industrial projects. The Gwadar Port and Karakorum Highway are living monuments of our collaboration. We are now making economic and trade linkages the nub of our relations. The two countries have a joint five-year economic plan and free trade agreements on goods, services, and investment. Together, we are working for win-win partnerships.

Masood Khan said the relationship between Pakistan and China is a factor of peace and stability in the region and beyond. Our two countries firmly believe in the principles of sovereign equality and non-interference. China has steadfastly extended support for Pakistan’s efforts to uphold its sovereignty and independence. Pakistan too has clearly upheld the one-China policy and supported China on issues concerning Tibet and Xinjiang.

We value China’s support, as Pakistan grapples with the threat of terrorism and our citizens continue to give sacrifices not just for Pakistan but for the entire region. Our joint efforts to push back the forces of terrorism, extremism and separatism have been successful. We are pursuing greater connectivity between China and Pakistan. The Pakistani ports of Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar are nearer to the Western regions of China than Shanghai and Hong Kong. In future, our land can help channel energy supplies from the Gulf to China. As Pakistan’s economy takes off, we can work with China as a full fledged economic partner.

Expressing his views about the future he said, the two countries will work harder to promote people to people contacts so that the citizens of the two countries, especially young men and women from all walks of life, can interact with one another in greater numbers. Last year, he said, Premier Wen Jiabao and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani designated 2011 as the Year of Friendship. There is no better way to celebrate this year than to revive the powerful images of our friendship. Pictures speak louder than words and this collage of rare historic moments is going to tell a thousand stories. These images are a treasure trove and part of popular ethos of the two countries, the Ambassador concluded.The Embassy of Pakistan also printed a similar book earlier this year.

source:- Pakistan Times

خصو صی انعامی مقابلہ میں اور چین

رواں سال چین پاک سفارتی تعلقات کے قیام کی ساٹھویں سالگرہ منائی جا رہی ہےاور یہ سال چین پاک دوستی کا سال بھی ہے۔ سب کو معلوم ہے کہ چین پاک دوستی ہمالیہ سےزیادہ بلند ، سمندر سے زیادہ گہری اور شہد سے زیادہ میٹھی ہے اور اس کی جڑیں دونوں ملکوں کے عوام کے دلوں میں بہت گہری ہیں ۔ اس لازوال دوستی کے اظہار و فروغ کے لئے خوشی کے اس موقع پر چائنا ریڈیو انٹرنیشنل پاکستانی ذرایع ابلاغ کے ساتھ مل کر مضمون نویسی کے ایک خصوصی انعامی مقابلے کا اہتمام کر رہا ہے ، اس کا عنوان ہے "میں اور چین " ۔ اس انعامی مقابلے میں شرکت کے لیے حتمی تاریخ رواں سال کی تیس ستمبر ہے ۔ متعلقہ ماہر ین اس مقابلے میں شریک تمام مضامین کا جائزہ لیں گے اور بہتریں مضامین یا شعری تخلیقی کاوش کو ،پہلے ، دوسرے اور تیسرے درجے کے خصوصی انعامات دئیےجائیں گے ۔ چین کے حوالے سے آپ کے جذبات ، مشاہدات ،چینی لوگوں سے وابستہ آپ کی خصوصی کہانی یا چین سےمتعلق کسی اور حوالے سے کچھ بھی آپ لکھنا چاہیں تو لکھیے۔لیکن یاد رکھیے گا کہ آپ کی نثری یا شعری تخلیق ہمیں تیس ستمبر تک مل جانی چاہیے۔ امید ہے کہ آپ اس میں بڑھ چڑھ کر حصہ لیں گے اور چاروں موسموں کی سدا بہار دوستی کے لیے اپنے جزبات کا اظہار انتہائی دلپذیر تخلیقی انداز میں کریں گے اور اس انعامی مقابلے میں شریک ہو کر انعامات جیتیں گے ۔ آپ ڈاک یا ای میل کے ذریعے اپنے مضمامین یا اشعار (نظم )بھیج سکتے ہیں لیکن آپ سے یہ درخواست سے کہ آپ ڈاک کے لفافے یا ای میل کے ٹائٹل پر "انعامی مقابلہ" میں اور چین " ضرور لکھیے گا ۔ امید ہے کہ آپ مضمون نویسی اور شعری تخلیق کے اس مقابلے میں بڑھ چڑھ کر حصہ لیں گے ۔ مضمون بھیجنے کے لئے پتہ ہے :
1, Post Box 2017 –G-P-O Islamabad Pakistan
2, CRI-8 Urdu Service
P-O-Box 4216
Beijing,China Code no:100040
3,Email:urd@cri.com.cn or zhongba@cri.cn

China-Pakistan River Civilization Tour

The “China-Pakistan River Civilization Tour” successfully concludes with the holding of a press conference of the transnational media activity, at the headquarters of China Radio International in Beijing on July 13.

The press conference was attended by officials from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, State Council Information Office, State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, as well as Pakistan’s Embassy in Beijing.

Those dignitaries in attendance highly appreciate the role that the “China-Pakistan River Civilization Tour” has played in promoting friendship between the two countries, deepening bilateral cooperation and enhancing peoples’ understanding.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. It is also the “Year of China-Pakistan Friendship”, announced by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

With the support of Pakistan’s Embassy in Beijing, China Radio International initiated the transnational media activity, the “China-Pakistan River Civilization Tour”, which was attended by mainstream media from China and Pakistan, and included as part of the cross-border media project “Seek the Witness of Friendship between China and Pakistan”, which has been listed as one of the state-level communication projects to be carried out during the China-Pakistan Friendship Year.

The Indus River and the Yangtze River are the major rivers in Pakistan and China respectively. In May 2011, China Radio International, along with Shanghai Dragon TV and Tencent, traveled 5,000 kilometers for 11 days up the Indus River, the mother river of Pakistan.

The group covered the provinces of Sindh, Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan and the capital city of Islamabad. They conducted nearly 30 reporting activities, sending back over 230 reports, pictures and audio recordings, as well as updating more than 800 microblog posts.

The group was also joined by Chinese media in Pakistan, including CCTV, People’s Daily, Xinhua News Agency, Guangming Daily, and reporters from Pakistani mainstream media.

During their stay in Pakistan, the delegation was well received by the Pakistani government, local officials, media and the public.

At the end of the Indus River tour, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani received the Chinese media delegation.

Mr. Gilani said the delegation had made great success during the visit by recording the real Pakistan, an effort which further strengthens the friendship between China and Pakistan.

In July 2011, the second leg of the “China-Pakistan River Civilization Tour” was held at an area along the Yangtze River.

Under the direction of related government departments from both countries, a delegation led by Muhammad Iqbal, Director of the External Publicity Wing under Pakistan’s Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, visited Beijing and other cities along the Yangtze River, including Chengdu, Chongqiong, Yichang and Shanghai.

The group comprised journalists from Pakistan’s national radio and television stations, the Pakistani News Agency, the Daily Mail, the Dawn News, as well as reporters from China Radio International.

They introduced to Pakistani audiences China’s earthquake reconstruction efforts, details on the protection of rare species, the running of the Three Gorges Dam Project, communication between international sister cities and the achievement of foreign trade between the two countries.

As part of the “China-Pakistan River Civilization Tour”, China Radio International also launched a cross-border media project, “Seek the Witness of Friendship between China and Pakistan”, alongside Tencent and other mainstream media outlets in Pakistan.

A number of poignant stories have been received, revealing the friendly exchanges between the Chinese and Pakistani people. These excellent works will be published in both counties and an awards ceremony will be held in Beijing and Islamabad respectively at the end of this year.

Speech by CRI Deputy Director-General Wang Dongmei, at the Press Conference of “China-Pakistan River Civilization Tour”

China to stand by Pakistan in its hour of need: Envoy

Pakistani Ambassador to China Masood Khan has said that China will stand by Pakistan in its hour of need as Islamabad and Beijing have been enjoying time-tested friendship.
“We are confident that China will stand by us in difficult times as it has been doing for the past years,” he said while addressing a press briefing at the office of China Radio International (CRI) on Wednesday.
Responding to a question about US military aid cut, he said the relationship between both the countries are getting stronger and China has always supported Pakistan in its difficult times.
He said that the relationships between the two states would further be cemented after exchange of media delegations. “The media persons are agents of change, and the Pak-China media are performing this job well. Today the media personnel are more influential than diplomats. After the exchange of delegations, we see stronger bonds with China,” he added. He stressed the need for exchanging institutional delegations to augment ties between the two brotherly states. The ambassador called for constituting institutional links as both the countries were enjoying over 60-year-old friendship.
He lauded Pakistani media’s role in strengthening Sino-Pak relations, saying: “Pakistani media’s response to China is warm and the exchange of media delegations is a welcoming step.”
He further said that improved Pak-China media ties will help boost diplomatic relations. The ambassador said the China civilisation had merged among others; therefore, the media should celebrate the river civilisation tasks. Pakistani media delegation head Muhammad Iqbal said that since Indian and European media are plotting against the relationship of Pakistan and China targeting the economic development of China, the exchange of media delegations will help thwart such notorious designs.
Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry Asian Affairs Director Luo Zhao Hui called for promoting the river civilisation. He added that Gwadar Port, Karakorum Highway, F-22 and J-17 thunder aircraft were among the flagship projects, which disclosed loyalty between both the countries.
State Council for Information Vice Minister Wang Wei Qiang said, “We will carry forward Pak-China friendship according to the pacts signed by the high-ups of the two states.