Pak, China sign programme of cultural agreement
Pakistan and China signed Executive Programme of Cultural Agreement for further consolidating cultural relations and promoting people-to-people contacts between the two states.
Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage, Marriyum Aurangzeb and Chinese Minister of Culture Luo Shugang signed the agreement on behalf of their respective countries. Ambassador of Pakistan to China and senior officials of both the countries were also present on the occasion..
A In her meeting with the Chinese Minister of Culture before the signing ceremony, the Minister of State said that the relations between the iron brothers and strategic partners were deeper than oceans and higher than mountains and were based on mutual trust and respect.
She expressed the confidence that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would take the bilateral relations between the two countries to new heights.
Marriyum said that people of both countries wanted to enhance the cultural collaboration and added that President Xi Jinping vision of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was a historic milestone not only for the countries along the belt and road but also the region and beyond.
The MOS said that relationship between Pakistan and China had been further strengthened by CPEC, a flagship project of BRI. She said that after signing the agreement, there was a greater responsibility on both the countries to strive for time bound implementation process. She said that during the 19th Congress of the China Communist Party (CPC), President Xi Jinping stressed upon cultural exchanges as the fourth core component of the BRI.
The Minister of State said that the economic cooperation, infrastructure development, energy projects and the people to people exchanges would enhance contacts and share & promote the heritage of both countries.
She said that the relationship between Pakistan and China had been embedded into our culture, adding that the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National History and Literary Heritage was actively pursuing the cultural contacts between the two states. She informed her host that during the last year, CPEC Cultural Caravan was organized from Xinjiang to Gwadar. Chinese group of visual artists and performing arts also participated.
She observed that today agreement would translate into extensive cultural contacts between the two countries and also impart sustainability to the cultural ties.
 The Minister of State proposed mutual photography exhibition at the PakChina National Culture Center in Islamabad w had already been established and also the grant of cultural scholarship to students in universities. She also proposed to establish a FM Radio with an access along the CPEC route in Pakistan.
Marriyum Aurangzeb particularly mentioned the Chinese Cultural Counselor in Pakistan who made this agreement a reality.
Chinese Minister for Culture Luo Sugang welcomed the minister and her delegation and said that China and Pakistan had special relations and friendly bonds particularly after the visit of President Xi Jinping to Pakistan in 2015.
In culture, both the countries shared progressive relations and would enrich cultural relationship in future.