Pakistani journalists and think tanks heaped praise on Chinese modernization and development, a report said.

“Every part of my visit to China was just amazing,” Lahore Press Club President Muhammad Azam said after visiting the magnificent traditional architecture, convenient urban transportation and bustling business districts in Beijing.

He was part of a delegation that paid a visit to China at the invitation of the Consulate General of China in Lahore.

“The hospitality I received in China was memorable. China’s historical civilization, tasty cuisine, modern industry and advanced technology are insurmountable,” he said

Chinese Consul General in Lahore Zhao Shiren said this is the first media and think-tank visit after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The delegates included Lt Col (R) Sayed Ahmad Nadeem Qadri from the Nawa-i-Waqt Group, Salim Bokhari, Group Chief Editor of City News Network, Khawar Abbas, Senior Vice President Punjab Union of Journalists, and Nasir Jamal from Dawn.

Salim Bokhari said: “Nothing could be more exciting than being nominated as a member of an 8-member delegation to explore the great charm of traditional Chinese architecture and tap its tourism potential.

 Ahmad Nadeem laid stress on learning from the Chinese expert in preserving the historic sites. The delegation was also impressed by the Great Wall, one of the seven wonders of the medieval world.

After boarding the beacon tower, the delegation enjoyed a full view of the ‘Golden Dragon’, which winds around mountains covered with endless verdure.

Apart from experiencing China's more than 5,000 years of civilization, the delegates expected a lot to visit the headquarters of companies involved in constructing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

In Beijing, the delegation visited the headquarters of China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), the contractor of the Matiari-Lahore High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Transmission Line Project.

They praised the achievements of Chinese companies in the construction of CPEC and exchanged views on cross-cultural integration and sustainable development.

The PKM (Sukkur-Multan Section) project is a high-standard motorway with the highest design grade.

It adopts Chinese SBS-modified asphalt technology and is also the only motorway in Pakistan with trees along the entire road and can resist once-in-a-century floods.

The project protected the ecology by planting trees along the route, which are now growing in full vigour, forming a 392-km green gallery.

Mian Saifur Rehman from The News International was impressed by China’s standardization and its efforts in promoting sustainable development in the country.

Muhammad Mehdi, the Chairman of the Institute of International Relations and Media Research, noted that “to ensure the smooth progressing of various projects under the CPEC framework, and to bring benefits to the people's livelihood, it is crucial to guarantee timely availability of funds for Chinese companies that help Pakistan improve infrastructure.” 

After a four-day visit in Beijing, the delegation headed for Shenzhen to visit Huawei’s digital transformation exhibition hall, BYD’s exhibition hall and its vehicle crash testing laboratory.

Seeing many electric cars running on Shenzhen’s roads, Naveed Chaudhary from City News Network stressed that billions of dollars would be saved by replicating the e-vehicle model of China in Pakistan.

In addition to extensive exchanges with Chinese enterprises, the delegation also participated in cultural exchange activities between China and Pakistan, including the Phenomenal Pakistan Cultural Feast.  Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque welcomed the delegation.