SHANGHAI: Pakistan and China on Thursday signed the framework agreement on Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project.
Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif signed the agreement from Pakistan side at a ceremony which was also witnessed by President Mamnoon Hussain and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The 27 kilometre long elevated mass transit project in Lahore is aimed to facilitate commuters’ movement in the city.
Mamnoon, Jinping discuss bilateral ties
During his meeting with the Chinese President, Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the fourth Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), President Mamnoon said Pakistan highly values its relations with China which are unparalleled in the contemporary era of inter-state relations.
He said that the multifaceted strategic partnership between Pakistan and China with increased focus on economic and trade ties would usher in a new era of socio-economic progress and prosperity for the people of both countries and the region.
Mamnoon reiterated that strengthening and deepening friendship with China is the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy, and added that there exists across-the-board political and public agreement on maintaining strong equation with China.
Giving details of the meeting, Press Secretary to the President Saba Mohsin Raza said the two leaders held wide-ranging discussions on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.
The spokesperson said the two leaders agreed on further cementing bilateral cooperation encompassing all areas including energy, trade and investment, infrastructure development and people-to-people contacts.
The two leaders expressed satisfaction on the current state of China Pakistan Economic corridor project and urged for expeditious completion of the already identified and mutually agreed projects of the Economic corridor on fast track basis.
President Mamnoon invited President Xi Jinping to visit Pakistan and said that the people of his country were anxiously looking forward to his first state visit this year.
Those present during the meeting included Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, Special Assistant to PM Syed Tariq Fatemi, Secretary Foreign affairs Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry and Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Masood Khalid.