Zhang Yu

JeniZhang13@163.com

PAKISTANI Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was visibly impressed by Shenzhen’s transformation from a small fishing village to a global economic powerhouse in just a few short decades during his two-day visit to the city, which ended yesterday.

He termed it “mighty progress in a short span of time” and revealed his intention to emulate Shenzhen’s model for economic transformation in Pakistan during a speech at the Pakistan China Business Conference in Shenzhen yesterday morning.

Sharif graced the occasion with his presence and delivered a keynote speech, highlighting the indelible bond between China and Pakistan and expressing optimism about the future of cooperation between the two nations.

The prime minister’s speech was a clarion call for learning from history to forge ahead into a future brimming with potential. He said, “Past is past. If we live in the past, we will gain nothing. But if we learn the experience from the past, we will gain a lot. That’s why we are getting these achievements through our mutual consultations and discussions.”

Sharif’s itinerary in Shenzhen was packed with visits to various institutions. At the Nanshan District Government Service Center, he applauded the efficient “Internet + Government Services” model and expressed his desire to introduce the services and technologies to Pakistan to improve public service delivery.

The delegation led by Sharif also visited the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning in Futian District, where they explored a themed exhibition that showcases how China’s reform and opening-up policies have brought extraordinary changes to Guangdong Province over the past 40 years.

In the afternoon, Sharif came to Huawei’s headquarters in Longgang District, where they gained insight into the cutting-edge technologies and solutions that have propelled Huawei to the forefront of the tech industry, especially in the fields of smart cities, digital government, education, health care, and new energy.

The visit to Huawei culminated in Sharif and Huawei chairman Liang Hua witnessing the signing of the Digital Pakistan Framework Agreement, which marked a significant step forward in Pakistan’s digital journey.

Sharif is on a five-day state visit to China that started in Shenzhen on Tuesday.