Written by: Staff Report
Posted on: February 21, 2019 | 
| 中文
President Xi Jinping at the Foreign Experts Symposium, 2014
The Cultural Office of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, China Cultural Centre in Pakistan and National History and Literary Heritage Division, organized the International Photography Exhibition of China’s Reforms and Opening Up in 40 Years on 19th February, 2019 at the National Library of Pakistan, Islamabad. The exhibition is co-hosted by China State Council Information Office, and is part of a series of activities organized to celebrate Chinese New Year in Pakistan.
During the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in December 1978, the “reform and opening-up” policies of China were introduced under Deng Xiaoping, who is credited with the “growth and prosperity” of the Chinese people. The policies, which included de-collectivizing of agriculture, opening up the market to foreign investors and allowing entrepreneurs to set up businesses, turned China into a socialist market economy. The last forty years have seen extraordinary progress in the development of China, with an improvement in living standards, the emergence of a rising middle class and unprecedented economic growth.
There are 140 photographs displayed at the venue, which cover 40 years of the historical route adopted, the achievements in development, win-win cooperation between China and other countries, and the particular reforms which occurred in China. With just one walk around the venue, visitors will be able to comprehensively look at various aspects of the four decades of China’s reformation. Though the exhibition does a brilliant job at providing highlights, it does not deal with any particular topic in great depth. Images with brief descriptions from the diverse sectors of politics, banking, agriculture, environment, culture, entrepreneurship, education and foreign relations, have all been printed on panaflexes which line the corridors of National Library. Some of the panaflexes provide before and after comparisons, such as of the Dongdaqiao Department Store, Beijing which has turned into a modern mall complex, and the Jinji Lake, which transformed into a hub of activity after the establishment of Suzhou Industrial Park. The most striking images deal with ordinary Chinese people, such as a photograph of people boarding an electric bus in Harbin City, and the smiling image of an old woman from Yinchuan Village who was given a new house under process of poverty alleviation. These images prove that the policies haven’t remained limited to political circles, but have actually resulted in changing the lives of the Chinese public.
The Cultural Counsellor of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China to Pakistan, H.E Mr. Zhang HeQing, Joint Secretary of National History and Literary Heritage Division, Syed Junaid Akhlaq, and Director National Library of Pakistan, Syed Ghayoor Hussain, were chief guests on the occasion. Syed Ghayoor Hussain began the ceremony by highlighting how the exhibition will increase awareness regarding Chinese culture, among the 500 to 600 daily visitors of the library, while Syed Junaid Akhlaq talked about various aspects of cultural collaboration between the two countries. “The Pakistan Academy of Letters is developing linkages with China Writer’s Association. Moreover, the National Museum of China will be conducting an exhibition of Pakistani artefacts soon,” Akhlaq said.
On behalf of the Cultural Office, the newly appointed Cultural Counsellor, H.E. Mr Zhang HeQing, welcomed the visitors to the exhibition, which commemorates the Chinese Lunar Year and Chinese Lantern Festival. He said, “Today, 40 years of China’s economy, society, politics and culture have been expressed through this exhibition.” He also highlighted the 2000-year long friendship shared by Pakistan and China, and reaffirmed the commitment of the Cultural Office towards increased collaboration with various cultural departments of Pakistan.
The Cultural Office of the Embassy gifted copies of the book, “Xi Jinping: The Governance of China,” to the National Library of Pakistan. The ceremony also included a dance performance by students of Islamabad International Grammar School, in honour of the new cultural counsellor. Children’s books about China and panda souvenirs were gifted to the children.
The exhibition will remain open to the public at the National Library of Pakistan till 24th February, 2019.
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