Xi's trips to Washington state deepen ties, knowledge
By LINDA DENG in Seattle
Editor's note: China Daily is publishing a series of stories reviewing President Xi Jinping's visits at home and abroad in the past decade, to showcase his vision for development in China and the world.
The visit was nearly seven years ago, but it is etched so clearly on Nathan Bowling's mind that it is as though it happened yesterday.
On Sept 23, 2015, Bowling was teaching a sociology class at Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Washington state, but this was to be no routine lesson. Standing in the classroom before him and his students was a very special guest: Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Xi's school visit was his last public stop during a visit to Washington state. He would meet members of the Lincoln High School football team and receive a custom No 1 Lincoln Abes' game jersey with his name on it.
"At one point, we had a conversation about whether they could shake his hand or not," Bowling said of his students. "And I was like, 'Of course not. No way.' And then, when he stuck his hand out to shake hands with the kids in the row, the first kid squealed, like it was the Beatles. That was really cool to me. That means they understood the gravity of the moment."
Among the many things Bowling clearly recalls about the visit is what Xi said about China.
Bowling recalled Xi as saying something to the effect of when you go to Xi'an, you can see China more than 1,000 years in the past; when you go to Beijing you can see 500 years in the past; and when you go to Shanghai you can see 100 years in the past.
"And that passage really stuck with me. That's kind of a demonstration of the depth of Chinese history."
Bowling and his wife have visited China many times since 2014. They have worked with high school students and middle school students in Chengdu, Sichuan province. The other cities they have toured include Beijing, Macao, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
Bowling said his trips to China have enabled him to deepen his knowledge far beyond what people can get from a book. On each trip, he said, he has been "blown away" by the country, its people and their generosity.
In 2019, Bowling and his family moved to the United Arab Emirates, and his most recent trip to China was in 2020, when he accompanied his students to a conference at Concordia International School in Shanghai.
"I have fond memories also of the first host family we stayed with. They were just like everyday Chinese ... middle-class people, who were living very, very happy lives.
"I learned how to play mahjong and how to make dumplings. I think what really made that visit meaningful is that I was able to bring some of that culture and some of the history to my students. And that's what the president offered with his visits."
After exchanging gifts and speaking with students that day in Tacoma, Xi made a speech in the school auditorium.
Because of her involvement with the Lincoln Lady Abes basketball team, Shauntel Berry was able to witness the speech. What she remembered most clearly was the delay between Xi saying in Chinese that 100 students were to be invited to travel to China, and then the translation from the interpreter. Everyone was cheering, probably hoping to be one of those selected, she said.
"Initially, I didn't understand why President Xi was visiting my high school out of all the other schools," Berry said. "Before, I was not aware of the connection between Lincoln and China.
"Having never traveled, I had no prior opinions about China. … I had no idea what life was like outside of my own (country). In being gifted with an opportunity to observe and experience a different way of living, I will forever be thankful to President Xi."
In 2016, Berry visited China as one of those 100 students invited.
"Traveling to China made me realize we're all living different lives, and there's more than one way to live. I took notice of the values and the normality of respect of the Chinese people, a shock compared to here in the states.
"There is a level of tradition that seemed to be maintained no matter where you were. My great-grandfather Lee, who was Chinese, but born in India, would always introduce me to different Asian foods and snacks while growing up. Having those experiences only made me want to know more.
"Traveling to China was not only a way to learn about the culture, but also respect the land that my ancestors had once walked. The week spent there was not nearly enough time. There was so much I wanted to explore and see."
Berry said she plans to study in China and would like to learn about the origins of traditional Chinese medicine.
Lincoln High School Principal Patrick Erwin, said: "The president's visit (in 2015) opened my students' eyes to the rest of the world, specifically China. They have never met or been in the presence of a leader of his magnitude, so that made it special, but the gift of travel that he gave to our students will never be forgotten.
"The visit dazzled them, and the ensuing trip changed their lives forever. I have students that planned on studying in China before the pandemic and still hope to do so once things return to normal."
It was Xi's second visit to Tacoma, his first being 22 years earlier when he was Party secretary of Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province. A year later, Tacoma and Fuzhou would become sister cities.
In 2008, to facilitate ties between teachers, students, sports and culture, Lincoln High School signed a memorandum with the Affiliated High School of Fuzhou Institute of Education.
More frequent cultural and educational exchanges after that spawned a fruitful relationship that helped set the stage for Xi's visit.
Last year, Erwin wrote to Xi and briefed him about student exchanges in recent years. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the school received about 10 student-group visits from China and welcomed 25 to 50 Chinese exchange students to Tacoma each year.
Students and teachers were forever changed by what they saw in the schools they visited in China, Erwin said.
"Dedicated students, excellent teaching and a focus on education as the gateway to a better life. I know the students who visited returned home committed to doing more to try and keep up with their Chinese friends."
民相亲关键在青年——记习主席重返塔科马之旅
七年前，中国国家主席习近平访问了美国塔科马市林肯中学，当时在林肯中学授课的老师内森·鲍林回忆起习主席的到访，至今仍然记忆犹新。
2015年9月23日，华盛顿州塔科马市的林肯中学，鲍林正在给学生讲授社会科学的课程。今天看来，这堂课注定不同寻常：一位特别的客人前来旁听——中国国家主席习近平。
访问林肯中学是习近平主席在华盛顿州访问期间的最后一站公开活动。他还会见了林肯中学橄榄球队队员，并获赠一件定制的印有他名字的1号球衣。
鲍林回忆说：“我们曾讨论学生们是否可以和习主席握手。我当时觉得，‘这不可能。’后来，当习主席伸出手来与孩子们握手时，第一个孩子尖叫起来，他们就像见到了摇滚巨星一样激动。他们理解这一刻的重要意义。”
鲍林至今清楚记得习近平主席介绍中国时说的话。
他说，要看千年的中国去西安，看五百年的中国去北京，看一百年的中国去上海。
鲍林说：“那段话让我难以忘怀，展示了中国深厚的历史底蕴。”
2014年以来鲍林和他的妻子曾多次来到中国。他们曾与四川省成都市的初中生和高中生交流，还参观过北京、澳门、香港和上海等地。
鲍林说，几次中国之行加深了他对中国的了解，收获远远超出了从书本上所能看到的。他说，每次旅行，他都被这个国家、这里的人民和他们的慷慨热情所“折服”。
2019年，鲍林和家人移居阿联酋，他最近的一次中国之行是在2020年，当时他陪同学生参加在上海一所国际学校举行的会议。
“我们住的第一个寄宿家庭给我留下了美好的记忆。他们就是普通的中国人……过着非常非常幸福的生活。”
“我学会了打麻将和包饺子。我认为这次访问的意义在于，我能带学生了解中国的文化和历史。这也是习主席访问林肯中学时所做的事。”
习近平主席到访林肯中学那天，他与学生们交换礼物，亲切交谈，并在学校礼堂发表了演说。
作为林肯女子篮球队的一员，肖特尔·贝瑞现场见证了这场演说。她记得最清晰的是，习主席还为师生们带来了一个大大的惊喜，他用中文说，将邀请100名林肯中学的学生去中国做客，这令人激动的消息经口译员现场翻译后，所有人都欢呼起来，希望成为被选中的幸运儿。
贝瑞说：“我一开始并不明白为什么习主席要在一众学校中选择访问我的高中。我当时不了解林肯中学和中国的联系。”
“由于从未去过中国，我对中国没有任何印象......我不知道自己国家以外的生活是什么样的。我将永远感谢习主席让我能有机会观察和体验一种不同的生活方式。”
2016年，贝瑞作为受邀的100名学生之一访问了中国。
“到中国访学让我意识到，人的生活各有不同，生活方式不止一种。我注意到了中国人的为人处世之道，与美国人相比有很大不同。”
“中国人似乎无论走到哪里，都会保留自己的传统。我的曾祖父是出生在印度的华裔，在我成长的过程中，他总是向我介绍不同的亚洲美食，这些也让我想更多了解中国。”
“到中国旅行不仅是了解中国文化的一种方式，也是向我祖先曾经走过的土地致敬。一周的访学时间远远不够。我还有太多东西想探索，太多地方想参观。”
贝瑞表示，她打算去中国留学，了解中医药的起源。
林肯中学校长帕特里克·埃尔文说：“习主席（2015年）的访问让学生们看到了世界上的其他地方，特别是中国。他们从未见过像习近平主席这样的大国领导人，所以这很特别，习主席送给学生们的礼物他们永生难忘。”
“这次访问让学生们大开眼界，随后的中国之旅则彻底改变了他们的生活。新冠疫情暴发前有些人正计划去中国学习，现在他们仍希望待一切恢复正常后能如愿赴华留学。”
这是习近平第二次访问塔科马市。1993年，时任福建省福州市委书记的习近平曾访问过塔科马市。一年后，塔科马市和福州市建立了友好城市关系。
2008年，林肯中学和福州教育学院附属中学签订了一项《友好交流谅解备忘录》，致力于加强两地师资、学生、文化和体育方面的交流。
此后，两地展开了频繁的文化和教育交流，构建了富有成效的合作关系，为习近平的再次访问创造了条件。
2021年，埃尔文向习近平主席致信，汇报该校近年来对华交流情况。该校接待了大约10个中国访学团，2016至2019年间每年有25至50名中国交流生前往该校学习交流。
埃尔文说，师生们在中国的访学之旅成为改变他们人生的一次旅行。
“在那里，有专心致志的学生，出色的教学，人们重视教育，将其视作通向更美好生活的大门。中国之旅让孩子们决心要更加努力，追赶他们的中国朋友。”
记者：LINDA DENG (邓彧)
President's Belgian trip fostered affection
By CHEN WEIHUA in Brussels
Editor's note: China Daily is publishing a series of stories reviewing President Xi Jinping's visits at home and abroad in the past decade, to showcase his vision for development in China and the world.
Eric Domb, the founder and chief executive officer of the Pairi Daiza zoo and botanical garden in Belgium, beamed when he recalled a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan on March 30, 2014.
It was shortly after the arrival in Belgium of Xing Hui and Hao Hao, the first pair of giant pandas there.
Accompanied by Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, Xi inaugurated the Chinese garden at Pairi Daiza, including planting a magnolia tree, about 60 kilometers south of the Belgian capital of Brussels.
"We were very honored," Domb said of the visit, the first trip to the zoo and garden by a head of state other than the Belgian king. "We spent more than an hour together. We had a wonderful time."
Domb said most of the time was spent visiting the Chinese garden, and he was amazed that the Chinese president knew so much about classic gardens. He was also impressed by how good Xi was at planting the magnolia tree like a real gardener, unlike many government officials.
"He was a very humble man, low-profile, fantastic."
The Chinese garden, occupying 45,000 square meters and now the home of the five giant pandas, was built by workers from Shanghai, people whom Domb described as "real friends and good friends".
The ponds, pavilions, temples, bridges, rocks, sculptures, potted landscape, bamboos, medicinal herbs, flowers and other trees and plants from China, as well as a teahouse and Chinese restaurant, take visitors on a tour of China.
The Chinese gardeners summon philosophy, history, legends, religion and symbolism, Pairi Daiza, a privately owned zoo, says in its introduction to visitors.
Domb said that the giant pandas in such a surrounding are what is important to visitors.
"It's a fantastic opportunity to open people to all cultures. We have a lot to learn about other cultures and philosophies, all the wisdom."
Domb was happy that the Chinese workers who helped build the garden at the time were so excited to see their own president and shake his hand.
"It was a beautiful moment," he said. "These people have been working very hard. They are great workers."
He was proud that the archway in the Chinese garden has the Chinese characters of "Chinese dream "on top, a pure coincidence with Xi's slogan on the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Xi's visit to Belgium in 2014 was the first state visit made by a Chinese head of state to the country in 27 years. He and his wife Peng were welcomed at the airport by the then Belgian prime minister Elio Di Rupo. King Philippe held a grand welcoming ceremony for Xi before their meeting.
During the visit, Xi also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. He had talks with Di Rupo and parliamentary leaders. The two countries signed agreements covering the economy and trade, science and telecommunications and education.
In addition to the zoo, Xi visited the Volvo Car Group facilities in Ghent, accompanied by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde. He also addressed students and faculty on Chinese civilization and China-EU relations at the College of Europe in Bruges.
During his stay in Brussels, Xi also visited EU headquarters and met EU leaders, becoming the first Chinese head of state to visit EU headquarters since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and EU in 1975.
Just a year later on June 23, 2015, Xi welcomed King Philippe to Beijing for a weeklong state visit at Xi's invitation. It was the king's first state visit overseas since he was crowned in July 2013.
On Oct 25, 2021, Xi and King Philippe exchanged congratulatory messages on the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties.
Ties between China and Belgium have expanded greatly over the decades. According to the Belgian government, their bilateral trade was worth 32.8 billion euros ($34.3 billion) last year, 22.8 percent higher than in 2020.
There are 32 pairs of sister cities between the two countries.
"China and Belgium have adhered to free trade and an open global economy, welcomed each other's enterprises and people, actively carried out practical cooperation in various fields, not only benefiting themselves, but driving each other's development through cooperation," China's ambassador to Belgium, Cao Zhongming, wrote in an opinion piece in China Daily in October marking the 50th anniversary of relations.
Before the pandemic broke out, Domb said he had visited China every year and has visited the country 25 times in total.
During one of the visits, he met Xi and Peng again. This was when Domb attended a dinner event in Beijing with the visiting Belgian delegation a year after Xi's visit to Pairi Daiza.
During a brief chat, Peng asked if the giant pandas Xing Hui and Hao Hao had a baby yet.
Domb said, "Madame, I promise we will have a baby very soon."
He immediately started to contact giant panda scientists in Sichuan province, where Xing Hui and Hao Hao came from. On June 2, 2016, Hao Hao, who had been artificially inseminated with Xing Hui's sperm, gave birth to the cub Tian Bao. It was the first giant panda born in Belgium.
"In a sense, Tian Bao was a promise to the first lady," Domb told China Daily on June 2 when zoo staff and giant panda fans held a celebration for Tian Bao's sixth birthday.
Hao Hao, again through artificial insemination, gave birth to twin cubs on Aug 8, 2019. One is male Bao Di and the female cub is Bao Mei, "a dragon and phoenix" in Domb's words, quoting Chinese tradition.
Domb said he is frustrated that he still cannot travel to China because of the pandemic.
He had relished his trips to Suzhou, Jiangsu province, to appreciate its traditional Chinese gardens, to Fujian province to discover the tea and Hakka culture, to Jingdezhen to search for Chinese porcelain and to Yixing for Chinese pottery.
He has been fascinated by Chinese culture and inventions since his childhood, when his parents displayed Chinese porcelain and Tang Dynasty (618-907) sculptures in their home, he said. He also developed a strong appreciation for Chinese silk and tea culture. He has fallen in love with Chinese food from jellyfish to fermented tofu.
"I must have Chinese blood from my ancestors," Domb said. "I don't have such feeling with other people."
译文
习近平主席比利时之行：增进感情 厚植友谊
2014 年 3 月 30 日，出访比利时期间，中国国家主席习近平和夫人彭丽媛出席了天堂动物园“大熊猫园”开园仪式。谈及此，比利时天堂公园创始人兼园长埃里克·董伯至今难以忘怀。
此前，中方决定向比利时提供两只大熊猫用于联合科学研究，大熊猫星徽和好好刚从中国来到这里落户。
在菲利普国王和玛蒂尔德王后的陪同下，习近平主席来到位于比利时首都布鲁塞尔西南约60公里处的天堂动物园，为大熊猫园揭幕，两国元首夫妇还共同为一棵玉兰树培上新土。
“我们感到非常荣幸，”董伯谈到这次访问时说，这是比利时国王以外的国家元首第一次参观动物园和花园。“我们一起度过了一个多小时。那是一段美好的时光。”
董伯说，他很惊讶中国国家主席对古典园林如此了解。
他还对习近平主席像真正的园丁一样种植玉兰树印象深刻，这与许多政府官员不同。
“他是一个非常谦虚、低调、出色的人。”
“中国园”占地 4.5万平方米，现在已是五只大熊猫的家。中国园由来自上海的工人建造，董伯说他们是“真朋友、好朋友”。
池塘、亭台、庙宇、桥梁、假山、雕塑、盆景、竹林、中药材、花卉等来自中国的花卉和树木，以及茶馆和中餐厅，园内极具中国特色的元素让游客仿若“畅游中国”。
“中国园”融合了哲学、历史、传说、宗教和其他象征符号，天堂公园的导览图介绍说。
董伯说，在这样的环境中大熊猫对游客来说很重要。
“这是开放文化的绝佳机会。我们能够从其他文化和哲学中学习智慧。”
董伯很高兴的见证，建造花园的中国工人怀着激动地心情见到了自己国家的领袖，并与之握手。
“那是一个美好的时刻，”他说。
“这些工人一直在努力工作。他们是伟大的工人。”
令他自豪的是，中国园的牌楼顶上写着“中国梦”大字，恰巧与习近平主席提出的实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦的口号一致。
2014年，中国国家元首时隔27年对比利时进行国事访问。
习近平主席和夫人彭丽媛在机场受到时任比利时首相迪吕波的欢迎。
会见前，菲利普国王为习近平主席举行了隆重欢迎仪式。
访比期间，习近平还向比利时无名烈士墓敬献了花圈。
习近平主席同比利时首相迪吕波和议会领导人举行了会谈。
两国签署了涉及经贸、科技和教育等领域的合作文件。
除动物园外，习近平主席在菲利普国王和玛蒂尔德王后陪同下还参观了沃尔沃汽车公司根特工厂。
习近平还在比利时布鲁日欧洲学院向广大师生发表了关于中华文明和中欧关系的重要演讲。
在布鲁塞尔期间，习近平还访问了欧盟总部并会见了欧盟领导人，成为1975年中欧建交以来首位访问欧盟总部的中国国家元首。
仅仅一年后的 2015 年 6 月 23 日，应习近平主席的邀请，菲利普国王对中国进行了为期一周的国事访问。
这是菲利普国王自 2013 年 7 月加冕以来的首场海外国事访问。
2021年10月25日，习近平主席同菲利普国王互致两国建交50周年贺电。
几十年来，中国和比利时的关系有了长足发展。
比利时政府称，去年两国双边贸易额为 328 亿欧元（约2312亿元人民币），比 2020 年增长了 22.8%。
两国现有32对友好城市。
“中比坚持自由贸易和开放型世界经济，欢迎对方企业和人民，积极开展各领域务实合作，不仅让自己受益，而且通过合作推动对方发展。” 中国驻比利时大使曹忠明去年10月在《中国日报》一篇纪念中比建交50周年的文章中写道。
董伯说，疫情暴发前，他每年都访问中国，已经到过中国25次。
在其中一次访问期间，他再次见到了习主席和夫人彭丽媛。
这是在习近平主席到访天堂公园一年后，董伯与比利时代表团一起到访北京并参加晚宴。
在简短的交谈中，彭丽媛问到大熊猫星徽和好好是否已经有了下一代。
董伯说：“夫人，我保证很快就会有幼崽的。”
不久后，他开始联系星徽和好好老家四川的大熊猫科学家。
2016年6月2日，使用星徽的精子完成人工授精的好好生下了幼崽天宝。
这是在比利时出生的第一只大熊猫。
今年6月2日，动物园工作人员和大熊猫粉丝为天宝庆祝六岁生日时，董伯告诉《中国日报》：“从某种意义上说，天宝的出生也是一种承诺。”
2019年8月8日，好好再次通过人工授精产下双胞胎幼崽。
雄性幼崽取名宝弟，雌性幼崽叫宝妹，用董伯的话来说是“龙凤胎”，这是中国的传统称呼。
董伯说，由于疫情，他仍无法前往中国，这让他感到遗憾。
他曾到苏州领略中国传统园林，到福建品味茶文化和客家文化，到景德镇探寻中国瓷器，到宜兴探寻中国陶器的魅力。
董伯说，他从小就对中国文化和发明着迷，当时他的父母在家中摆放有中国瓷器和唐代雕塑。
他还对中国的丝绸和茶文化产生了浓厚的兴趣。
从海蜇到豆腐乳，他简直爱上了中餐。
“我一定有中国血统，”董伯说。
“我对其他国家没有这种感觉。”
记者：陈卫华
代表作3原文
Friendship with Pakistan grows deeper
By CHEN YINGQUN in Beijing and XU WEIWEI in Hong Kong
Since President Xi's trip in 2015, ties with China have continued to flourish
Editor's note: China Daily is publishing a series of stories reviewing President Xi Jinping's visits at home and abroad in the past decade, to showcase his vision for development in China and around the world.
Seven years have passed, but Pakistan's Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque still remembers all the details of the preparations his team made to welcome the historic visit of President Xi Jinping.
"Pakistan's capital city, Islamabad, was transformed and decorated, with special illumination in many parts of the city," said Haque, then chief of protocol of Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"Flags, beautiful slogans and huge billboards bearing portraits of the two countries' leaders lined the streets. The city looked very festive."
Signboards in both Chinese and English said, "Pakistan-China friendship is higher than mountains, deeper than oceans, sweeter than honey and stronger than steel." Other slogans included "Long live the Pakistan-China friendship" and "Pakistan and China are iron friends".
Pakistan's Air Force had deployed an escort of eight JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, jointly made by the two countries, when Xi's aircraft entered the country's airspace, Haque said.
"This was unprecedented－it was only for President Xi that we had such a great reception."
The visit, from April 20 to 21,2015, was Xi's first state visit to Pakistan.
"To ensure everything went well, we held many rehearsals for different occasions," Haque said. For instance, he asked Pakistan International Airlines to supply the same model of aircraft in which Xi would fly for use in a rehearsal of the arrival ceremony, including where it would stop and where government officials and hundreds of students from various schools would stand to welcome Xi.
"President Xi is greatly admired in Pakistan, as a statesman, a visionary leader and someone who has served his people and follows a people-centric approach," Haque said.
The people of Pakistan laud China's "great miracle" of eradicating absolute poverty and lifting nearly 800 million people out of poverty since reform and opening-up began in the late 1970s, he said.
Pakistanis also appreciate Xi's commitment to the two countries' friendship.
"During that visit, we were really touched by his words and speeches about this important relationship and how he saw its future."
China and Pakistan upgraded their relationship during the visit to an all-weather strategic partnership of cooperation.
"China and Pakistan have always trusted, understood and supported each other, and are all-weather friends," Xi said. "The Chinese side highly values its relationship with Pakistan and has always placed the relationship in a priority position in its foreign policy agenda."
The upgrade of bilateral relations came as the two countries were gearing up for an expansion of collaboration in various fields, with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, high on the agenda.
The corridor is a planned network of roads, railways and energy projects linking deep-water Gwadar Port in southwest Pakistan with the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in Northwest China.
On the same day, the two countries signed 51 agreements and memorandums of understanding focusing on the areas of energy, transportation infrastructure, industry and the development of Gwadar Port. More than 30 agreements were designed to give impetus to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
During Xi's visit, he addressed a joint session of Pakistan's Parliament and conferred friendship awards on Pakistani individuals and groups, commending the unremitting contribution they had made to promoting the friendship between the two countries. Xi also planted a China-Pakistan Friendship Tree on the lawn of the prime minister's residence in Islamabad.
Mushahid Hussain Sayed, chairman of the Pakistani Senate's Defense Committee and a representative of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), said that "it was a matter of great honor and privilege" that Xi had presented him with the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence Friendship Award in Islamabad.
"It was a very gracious gesture by the relaxed and smiling president and global statesman when he extended his firm handshake with these warm words of appreciation: 'Congratulations, thank you for your contributions to friendship between China and Pakistan.'"
Historic significance
Xi's visit had historic significance for the bilateral relationship and lifted it to a higher level, Haque said. The all-weather strategic cooperative partnership of cooperation means that the China-Pakistan relationship has stood the test of time, he said, and is an "iron brotherhood" enjoying support across the political spectrum and covering every aspect of the relationship, from political to defense, security, trade, investment, culture and global issues.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, "which was high on the agenda, has become a game changer that has really transformed the economic landscape of Pakistan over the past few years", Haque said. Its projects have upgraded the country's infrastructure, such as roads, highways and fiber-optic communication networks.
"This is extremely important, because without proper modern infrastructure one cannot have economic development," Haque added.
Many energy projects of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor have helped address Pakistan's acute energy shortages, he said.
Gwadar Port, seen as the crown jewel of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has become a modern functional port, after once having been a small fishing village. Around the port, a free trade zone has been built, with ancillary facilities including schools, hospitals and a new airport. More industrial plants are being built there, he said.
"The construction of the port will not only help the local people improve their livelihood, but will also benefit trade links between our two countries as well as connectivity with the Central Asian region," Haque said.
Pakistan's embassy in Beijing said the economic corridor has created 75,000 jobs in Pakistan, and the project accounts for 1 to 2 percent of the country's GDP each year.
Pakistan's annual plan for 2022-23 says the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor strongly emphasizes industrialization, agricultural modernization and scientific and technological development. The goal is to reap the dividends of investment made in the first phase (2015-20) in transportation and energy infrastructure projects.
Talat Shabbir, director of the China-Pakistan Study Centre at the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad, said the essence of the second phase is industrial collaboration. A priority is for four special economic zones to be established. These have been initiated to strengthen the industrial sector, promote trade, generate employment and boost Pakistan's economic growth, Shabbir said.
Fruitful cooperation
"The fundamental problem in Pakistan's economy is that it lags far behind in industrial development, which has resulted in more imports than exports," he said. "No doubt, the industrial cooperation shall render great help to revive Pakistan's fragile economy."
Shabbir added that China "has advantages in experience, technology, financing and industrial capacity, while Pakistan enjoys favorable conditions in natural resources, adequate manpower, quality infrastructure and access to international markets".
Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan, director of the Center for South Asia & International Studies in Islamabad, said the country's notable GDP increase as a result of infrastructure investment will help lift 1.1 million people out of extreme poverty by 2030.
Makhdoom Babar, president of the Daily Mail Pakistan and chairman of the Pakistan Institute of China Studies, said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is being successfully implemented, and the completion of energy, industrial, connectivity and socioeconomic aspects will "change the socioeconomic landscape of underdeveloped areas in Pakistan".
译文
习主席巴基斯坦之行：谱写中巴友谊新篇章
自习近平主席2015年访问巴基斯坦以来，中巴关系一直保持着蓬勃发展的势头。
虽然已经过去了七年，但是巴基斯坦驻华大使莫因·哈克(Moin ul Haque)仍然记得他的团队为迎接习近平主席的历史性访问所做准备的全部细节。
时任巴基斯坦外交部礼宾司司长的哈克说: “巴基斯坦首都伊斯兰堡进行了一些改造和装饰，城市的许多地方都亮起了彩灯。”
“街道两旁插满了中巴两国国旗、张贴了闪亮的标语和印有两国元首肖像的巨幅海报。整座城市看上去非常喜庆。”
标语牌上用中英文写着: “中巴友谊比山高、比海深、比蜜甜、比钢硬。”其他口号还包括“巴中友谊万岁”和“巴中是铁哥们”。
哈克说，当习主席乘坐的专机进入巴基斯坦领空时，巴基斯坦空军的8架“枭龙”战机起飞全程护航。“枭龙”战机由中巴合作生产。
“这是前所未有的礼遇——只有习主席受到了如此热烈的欢迎。”
2015年4月20日至21日，习近平主席对巴基斯坦进行了首次国事访问。
哈克说: “为了确保一切顺利，我们针对不同的活动场合进行了多次彩排。”例如，他要求巴基斯坦国际航空公司提供同一型号的飞机参加抵达时的欢迎仪式的排练，包括飞机将在哪里停留，政府官员和来自多所学校的数百名学生站在哪里欢迎习主席。
哈克说: “习主席在巴基斯坦备受尊敬。因为他是一位政治家，一位远见卓识的领导人，一位奉行以人民为中心、全心全意为人民服务的领袖。”
哈克说，中国自70年代末改革开放以来，完成了消除绝对贫困的艰巨任务、使近8亿人口脱贫，巴基斯坦人民对这一“伟大奇迹”赞不绝口。
巴基斯坦人民同样赞赏习主席对中巴两国友谊的承诺。
“那次访问期间，我们被习主席关于中巴关系重要性以及中巴关系未来的论述所打动。”
访问期间，中巴双方决定将中巴关系提升为全天候战略合作伙伴关系。
“中巴始终相互信任、相互理解、相互支持，是全天候朋友。”习近平说。“中方高度重视发展同巴基斯坦的关系，始终把中巴关系置于中国外交优先方向。”
中巴双边关系升级之际，两国正准备扩大在各个领域的合作，中巴经济走廊是“一带一路”倡议中的重要议题。
中巴经济走廊是一个包括公路、铁路和能源项目的网络，连接巴基斯坦西南部的深水港瓜达尔港和中国的新疆维吾尔自治区。
同日，双方在能源、交通基础设施、产业园区和瓜达尔港建设等领域签署了51项合作协议和谅解备忘录。其中30多项协议旨在推动中巴经济走廊的发展。
访问期间，习近平主席在巴基斯坦议会发表题为《构建中巴命运共同体 开辟合作共赢新征程》的重要演讲，并向巴基斯坦友好人士和团体代表颁发和平共处五项原则友谊奖，表彰他们为推动中巴友好所作贡献。习主席还在巴基斯坦总理府种下了中巴友谊树。
巴基斯坦参议院国防和国防生产委员会主席、穆斯林联盟（领袖派）秘书长、巴中学会主席穆沙希德·侯赛因·赛义德(Mushahid Hussain Sayed)表示，习近平主席在伊斯兰堡为他颁发了和平共处五项原则友谊奖，他感到这是“一个莫大的荣幸。”
“这是一个非常亲切友好的姿态，一个大国元首和全球政治家面带微笑，坚定地伸出手，说出了温暖的赞美之词:‘祝贺你！感谢你为中巴友谊做出的贡献。'”
访问具有历史意义
哈克表示，习主席访问巴基斯坦对两国关系具有历史意义，并将两国关系提升到了一个更高的水平。哈克说，全天候战略合作伙伴关系意味着中巴关系经受住了时间的考验，是“铁哥们”，得到巴基斯坦政坛的完全支持，涵盖两国关系的方方面面，从政治到国防、安全、贸易、投资、文化和全球问题。
哈克表示，中巴经济走廊“在那次访问的议程上占据重要位置，并已经成为一个变革者，在过去几年里真正改变了巴基斯坦的经济版图”。中巴经济走廊升级了巴基斯坦的基础设施，包括道路、高速公路和光纤通讯网络。
“这一点极其重要，因为没有配套的现代化基础设施，就不可能有经济发展。”哈克补充说。
他说，中巴经济走廊的多个能源项目帮助巴基斯坦缓解了严重的能源短缺问题。
瓜达尔港被视为中巴经济走廊皇冠上的明珠。它曾经是一个小渔村， 现在已经建设成为一个现代化的港口。港口周围建立了一个自由贸易区，以及一些配套设施，包括学校、医院和一座新机场。哈克说，那里还在建设更多的工厂。
哈克说: “港口的建设不仅改善了当地人的生活，而且还有利于两国之间的贸易联系，以及与中亚地区的互联互通。”
巴基斯坦驻华大使馆表示，中巴经济走廊为巴基斯坦创造了7.5万个就业岗位，每年对巴基斯坦国内生产总值（ GDP ）的贡献达到了1% 至2% 。
《巴基斯坦（2022-2023）年度规划》指出，中巴经济走廊工作重点包括工业化、农业现代化和科技发展。目标是收获第一阶段(2015-2020年)交通和能源基础设施项目投资的红利。
伊斯兰堡战略研究所中巴研究中心主任塔拉特•沙比尔(Talat Shabbir)表示，第二阶段将开展产业合作，其中一个重点是建设四个经济特区。沙比尔说，这些措施旨在加强产业、促进贸易、创造就业和推动巴基斯坦经济增长。
合作富有成效
“巴基斯坦经济的根本问题在于，工业发展方面远远落后，导致进口超过出口。” 沙比尔说。“毫无疑问，产业合作将为重振巴基斯坦脆弱的经济提供巨大帮助。”
沙比尔补充称，中国“在经验、技术、融资和产能等方面具有优势，而巴基斯坦在自然资源、劳动力和国际市场方面具有有利条件”。
巴基斯坦南亚与国际研究中心主任马哈茂德·乌尔·哈桑·汗(Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan)表示，基础设施投资带来的显著 GDP 增长，将有助于在2030年前让110万巴基斯坦人脱离极端贫困。
巴基斯坦《每日邮报》社社长、巴基斯坦中国研究院院长马克东·巴伯表示，中巴经济走廊建设正在成功推进，能源、工业、互联互通等方面的项目完成后，将“改变巴基斯坦欠发达地区的社会经济格局”。
中国日报记者：陈颖群 许薇薇
