On 1st of October 2023, a grand flag-raising ceremony was held at the Tian’anmen Square in Beijing to mark the 74th Founding Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. After trumpet soldiers sounded their clarions, the National Flag was escorted into the square by 96 members of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Guard of Honor. Watching the national flag raising ceremony at the Tian’anmen Square on Oct 1 has been a way of celebrating the National Day for many Chinese, who joined the gathering to express their feeling of patriotism. Thousands of spectators from all over the country gathered at the Square in the early hours, waiting for the exciting moment. The middle of the square was decked out with a huge flower basket arrangement as part of the National Day celebrations.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has extended warmest felicitations to China on its 74th National Day. In a statement on social media platform X today, he congratulated Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and the Chinese nation and said Pakistan takes great pride in the achievements of our Iron Brother. The Prime Minister termed China as an anchor of peace and stability as well as engine of development and progress in today’s world.
Meanwhile, in his video message on X, Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi also felicitated China on its National Day. He said the people of Pakistan share the spirit of the festivities of the 74th National Day of the Peoples’ Republic of China. The Minister expressed hope this year and many years ahead of us will reinforce our all-weather relationship and promote peace and progress for us and the world at large.
Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani also extended his heartiest felicitations to Foreign Minister Wang Yi and people of China on their National Day. In his post at X, he said we pay tribute to the rich history, culture, and achievements of this great nation and reiterate the resolve to take China-Pakistan iron-clad friendship to greater heights.
Ambassador of Pakistan to China Moin Ul Haque has extended warmest greetings on the 74th national day of People’s Republic of China. In his message on social media platform ‘x’, he said this special day marks not only the founding of PRC, but also symbolizes resolve, resilience and hard work of a great nation to achieving national rejuvenation and goal of a modern socialist country.
Global Leaders send messages of greetings to China on the occasion, it includes Presidents, Prime Ministers, and Heads of the states from all over the world. Secretary of state ANTONY J. BLINKEN, sent following message: “On behalf of the United States of America, I congratulate the people of the People’s Republic of China on the occasion of the 74th National Day on October 1. As the United States continues to work with the international community to solve the world’s most serious challenges, we welcome the cooperation of the People’s Republic of China in addressing shared challenges, including the climate crisis, public health, counter-narcotics, food security, and global macroeconomic stability. We wish the people of the People’s Republic of China peace, happiness, and prosperity in the year ahead.”
On the occasion of the National Day of the People’s Republic of China on 1st October, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, H.E. Jiang Zaidongon on behalf of the Chinese Embassy said:
“I would like to extend my best wishes to our great motherland, and may the great country enjoy prosperity forever! And I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks to friends from all walks of life in Pakistan who care about and support China’s development and actively promote China-Pakistan friendship!
Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China 74 years ago, China has embarked on the great journey of modernization independently, turning from an impoverished and backward land into the world’s second largest economy, top trader in goods, biggest holder of foreign exchange reserves, and biggest manufacturer. We have put in place the world’s largest compulsory education system, social security system, and medical and health system. China has completed industrialization, that Western developed countries took hundreds of years. We have caught up with the times in great strides, and hit a miracle in the history of world development.
Currently, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the entire CPC and people of all ethnic groups in China are earnestly implementing the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, and to embrace the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization, characterized by the modernization of a huge population, of common prosperity for all people, of material and cultural-ethical advancement, of harmony between humanity and nature, and of peaceful development. China has proved to the world with practice that there is no fixed model of modernization. Any country can achieve modernization, as long as the path suits its conditions and answers the need of its people for development.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by President Xi Jinping, and also of the launch of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Ten years on since the start of the BRI, over 3,000 cooperation projects have been launched, driving nearly US$1 trillion of investment and creating 420,000 jobs for participating countries. Many nations have thus realized their dreams of railways, big bridges, and poverty alleviation. And as a key pilot project under the Belt and Road Initiative, CPEC has achieved fruitful outcomes in the past 10 years. It has brought 25.4 billion US dollars of direct investment to Pakistan, and generated 236,000 local jobs in total. It has laid a solid foundation for Pakistan’s economic and social development and has become a vivid example of the all-weather friendship between China and Pakistan. Not long ago, the Hangzhou Asian Games began successfully. Athletes from China and Pakistan participated in this grand event and shared the joy of victory together.
China and Pakistan are linked by mountains and rivers, and have enjoyed ever-lasting friendship. Since China and Pakistan established diplomatic ties in 1951, no matter how the international and regional situations change, our two countries always understand, trust, respect and support each other. China-Pakistan bilateral relations can be called an exemplar of state-to-state relation. The iron-clad friendship between the two countries is deeply rooted in hearts of the two peoples. In April 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a historic state visit to Pakistan, during which the two sides elevated China-Pakistan bilateral relations to all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, opening up a new chapter in the development of bilateral ties. No matter how the situation changes, China will firmly support Pakistan in safeguarding its national sovereignty, national independence and territorial integrity, support Pakistan in taking a development path that is in line with its national conditions, and support Pakistan in playing a greater role in international and regional affairs.
Looking ahead, we are ready to work with Pakistani side, by implementing the important consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and Pakistani leaders as the guiding principle, building an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era as the main line, and promoting high-quality development of the CPEC as the major platform, to continuously consolidate, deepen and expand China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperation, and better benefit the two countries and the two peoples. I together with all my colleagues at the Chinese Embassy, will exert our best efforts to work closely with Pakistani friends, and make new contributions to the development of China-Pakistan relations!
Long live the People’s Republic of China! Chin-Pak dosti zindabad!”
In addition to official greetings and messages, scholars, academicians, think tanks, and media houses and general public also has expressed best wishes for Chinese brothers and sisters at the auspicious occasion of National Day. In Pakistan, there prevails an atmosphere of festival and public seems very happy and enjoying the Chinese National Day celebrations. It is our deep rooted eternal friendship which exists among the people of two nations. Both nations are committed to struggle side by side for peace, security, developments and prosperity.
Author: Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan, Founding Chair GSRRA, Sinologist, Diplomat, Editor, Analyst, and Non-Resident Fellow of CCG (Center for China and Globalization). (E-mail: awanzamir@yahoo.com).