Aurangzeb: The all-weather Pakistan-China friendship is a part of Pakistani culture

China.org.cn: Cultural exchange is an important part of the Belt and Road Initiative. In your view, how will this aid the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor?

Marriyum Aurangzeb: I think that President Xi’s vision of the Belt and Road Initiative is all about people and cultural connectivity. I would also like to congratulate you on the 19th CPC National Congress that sets the framework for the entire world in terms of connectivity, in terms of shared progress and shared prosperity, in terms of inclusive development. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project is a flagship project between the two countries. The dividends of the project won’t just be for the people of the two countries; the impact will be felt around the region and around the world as well.

In Pakistan, we are very excited about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. One thing that always has consensus despite our affiliation to different sectors and professions was friendship between China and Pakistan, and the second thing that we as a nation have consensus on is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project, because we can see our development, we can see our progress of Pakistan, and we can see prosperity coming to the region through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project.

China.org.cn: Last year, China and Pakistan held a training course on “planning for the protection of intangible cultural heritage” in Lahore. Are there any similar plans down the road, to implement the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage?

Marriyum Aurangzeb: Yes. The agreement that I am signing talks about it in more detail. And it is also about research and development into the cultural exchanges that we have. It also talks about the broadest spectrums of the films, screen plays, tourism and also the national heritage landscape of both countries; especially in Pakistan we see great opportunities for transfer of knowledge, capacity building, and value addition in the indigenous capacity in terms of national heritage, preservation of national heritage sites, and rehabilitation of national heritage sites as well.

Today (February 5), I met your Vice Minister of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, Tong Gang. We spoke about exchanges of film, broadcasting, dramas, and content that can enhance the connectivity between people of our two countries. We also spoke about exhibiting Pakistani films on CCTV’s film channel and cinemas in China. Pakistan was the third largest film producing country in the 1960s, so with the help of the cooperation, with the help of the cultural agreements, with the help of the understanding between the two countries, we are also looking forward to reviving the film heritage of the country, also exhibiting our films, our products, our contents in the Chinese markets as well.

China.org.cn: What's your outlook on China-Pakistan relations, namely in cultural exchange?

Marriyum Aurangzeb: I think our friendship has multifaceted case studies and stories to tell. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project and these executive cultural exchange agreements that we are signing will take the friendship to the completely new heights. I would say that this will not only be for our generation to see the impact but I think the generations to come will also see the impact. We will talk about these cooperations. As I said before, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project or the Belt and Road is all about people. And people and countries have started looking at it as shared development and shared prosperity.

In Pakistan, we have about 60 percent of the population under the age of 45, so we have a relatively young population that is talking about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. They see their development through that project, and this is the sustainability of this relationship, which is being strengthened, I would say that. And world is looking at China-Pakistan relationship when it comes to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project, and we are thankful to the President Xi and government of China to include Pakistan as a part of the development for the entire region and around the world.

I think China has been a great friend; as I said, the friendship between China and Pakistan is a part of our history, is part of our culture and everybody, every person, every citizen of Pakistan, young students are talking about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. We are as a nation very excited about it, and we are making every possible effort to complete the projects. For the security of people traveling to Pakistan, the security indicators are improving in Pakistan. The entire nation is taking the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project as our development project, and that is what we want to be at the end of the day. 

(Planning: Wang Donghai; Editing: Liu Mengya, Yeerken, Chen Hao; Cameraman: Wang Donghai, Sun Yuze. China.org.cn, China Development Gateway)