Written by: Staff Report
Posted on: September 23, 2019 | 
| 中文
Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of PCI and the 70th Anniversary of PRC
The Pakistan China Institute (PCI) celebrated its 10thanniversary and the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) last Saturday at the Serena Hotel. The chief guest of the evening was the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Yao Jing, and the prominent attendees included National Assembly Deputy Speaker, Qasim Suri, Leader of the House in the Senate, Senator Shibli Faraz, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Senator Raja Zafarul Haq, Chairman Senate Interior Committee Senator Rehman Malik, prominent journalist and TV anchor Saleem Safi and Chairman, Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir, Syed Fakhar Imam. Politicians and embassy members came together with scholars, journalists and business leaders of Pakistan and China.
The guests at Serena Hotel
PCI was founded in 2009 under the Chairmanship of Senator Mushahid Hussain, as a non-partisan, non-political and non-governmental think tank to study all aspects of Pakistan-China relations and a platform to promote people-to-people understanding. Since then, it has become a well-established and thriving hub for all areas related to both countries. Along with promoting relations between Pakistan and China, PCI is also responsible for Youlin Magazine as a cultural publication, the only one of its kind which is in English and Chinese, CPECInfo.com, an authoritative go-to website which brings together all news on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and it offers Chinese classes in both Islamabad and Lahore.
The Executive Director Mustafa Hyder Sayed's speech
The event was co-hosted by Youlin Magazine and the Confucius Institute, National University of Modern Languages (NUML), which hoped to showcase some of the artistic and cultural aspects of both countries. Along with dinner and speeches, there was an art exhibition which featured Chinese calligraphy as well as paintings by Jimmy Engineer. Not only did the exhibition feature Engineer’s signature architectural paintings, but also special sketches of notable, historical Chinese figures such as Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Xi Jinping, Jackie Chan, Jack Ma and others.
As for the Chinese calligraphy, each piece had a unique style and message to it, whether it was a traditional idiom or an ancient folk tale. Each design was made by the student of a specific master, and the writings themselves spanned across centuries and dynasties. Dr. Zhang, the head of the Confucius Institute, had personally flown the calligraphy art to Pakistan to display, and teach his students about Chinese art and literature.
(L to R) Jimmy Engineer's painting, Jimmy Engineer's sketch of Chairman Mao Zedong, Chinese calligraphy
At the very end of the exhibition was a traditional Chinese tea stall in which guests were served traditional Chinese tea, which is often done in China as a mark of respect. The tea itself had a very mild, refreshing flavor, made all the more special by the careful preparation and skill of the tea maker.
The Executive Director explaining the Chinese tea ceremony
There were also performances by the students of the Confucius Institute. They started with the traditional song “today is your birthday”, which is often sung during festivities and birthday occasions. It was followed by the dance of “the nation of greatness and courtesy”, which fuses together the three beliefs of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, to emphasize the importance of virtue, friendship and balance in living a successful life. The final performance was a Kung Fu fan performance which wowed the crowd and earned well-deserved applause.
Prominent politicians and journalists attending the event
In his speech, Mr. Yao Jing stated that the upcoming anniversary does not just mark seventy years of the People’s Republic of China, it also marks seventy years of China’s friendship with Pakistan. He termed the PCI Chairman as ‘the most famous face in China for his role in promoting Pakistan-China friendship’. Each spokesperson of the political parties represented at the celebration unanimously agreed on China’s importance in Pakistan’s future, and hoped for a cooperative future that is mutually beneficial to both countries.
(L to R) Senator Mushahid Hussain, Yao Jing and Raja Zafar ul Haq
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