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."
民相親關(guān)鍵在青年——記習(xí)主席重返塔科馬之旅
七年前，中國國家主席習(xí)近平訪問了美國塔科馬市林肯中學(xué)，當(dāng)時在林肯中學(xué)授課的老師內(nèi)森·鮑林回憶起習(xí)主席的到訪，至今仍然記憶猶新。
2015年9月23日，華盛頓州塔科馬市的林肯中學(xué)，鮑林正在給學(xué)生講授社會科學(xué)的課程。今天看來，這堂課注定不同尋常：一位特別的客人前來旁聽——中國國家主席習(xí)近平。
訪問林肯中學(xué)是習(xí)近平主席在華盛頓州訪問期間的最后一站公開活動。他還會見了林肯中學(xué)橄欖球隊隊員，并獲贈一件定制的印有他名字的1號球衣。
鮑林回憶說：“我們曾討論學(xué)生們是否可以和習(xí)主席握手。我當(dāng)時覺得，‘這不可能?！髞恚?dāng)習(xí)主席伸出手來與孩子們握手時，第一個孩子尖叫起來，他們就像見到了搖滾巨星一樣激動。他們理解這一刻的重要意義?！?/p>
鮑林至今清楚記得習(xí)近平主席介紹中國時說的話。
他說，要看千年的中國去西安，看五百年的中國去北京，看一百年的中國去上海。
鮑林說：“那段話讓我難以忘懷，展示了中國深厚的歷史底蘊?！?/p>
2014年以來鮑林和他的妻子曾多次來到中國。他們曾與四川省成都市的初中生和高中生交流，還參觀過北京、澳門、香港和上海等地。
鮑林說，幾次中國之行加深了他對中國的了解，收獲遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)超出了從書本上所能看到的。他說，每次旅行，他都被這個國家、這里的人民和他們的慷慨熱情所“折服”。
2019年，鮑林和家人移居阿聯(lián)酋，他最近的一次中國之行是在2020年，當(dāng)時他陪同學(xué)生參加在上海一所國際學(xué)校舉行的會議。
“我們住的第一個寄宿家庭給我留下了美好的記憶。他們就是普通的中國人……過著非常非常幸福的生活?！?/p>
“我學(xué)會了打麻將和包餃子。我認(rèn)為這次訪問的意義在于，我能帶學(xué)生了解中國的文化和歷史。這也是習(xí)主席訪問林肯中學(xué)時所做的事?！?/p>
習(xí)近平主席到訪林肯中學(xué)那天，他與學(xué)生們交換禮物，親切交談，并在學(xué)校禮堂發(fā)表了演說。
作為林肯女子籃球隊的一員，肖特爾·貝瑞現(xiàn)場見證了這場演說。她記得最清晰的是，習(xí)主席還為師生們帶來了一個大大的驚喜，他用中文說，將邀請100名林肯中學(xué)的學(xué)生去中國做客，這令人激動的消息經(jīng)口譯員現(xiàn)場翻譯后，所有人都?xì)g呼起來，希望成為被選中的幸運兒。
貝瑞說：“我一開始并不明白為什么習(xí)主席要在一眾學(xué)校中選擇訪問我的高中。我當(dāng)時不了解林肯中學(xué)和中國的聯(lián)系?！?/p>
“由于從未去過中國，我對中國沒有任何印象......我不知道自己國家以外的生活是什么樣的。我將永遠(yuǎn)感謝習(xí)主席讓我能有機(jī)會觀察和體驗一種不同的生活方式?！?/p>
2016年，貝瑞作為受邀的100名學(xué)生之一訪問了中國。
“到中國訪學(xué)讓我意識到，人的生活各有不同，生活方式不止一種。我注意到了中國人的為人處世之道，與美國人相比有很大不同?！?/p>
“中國人似乎無論走到哪里，都會保留自己的傳統(tǒng)。我的曾祖父是出生在印度的華裔，在我成長的過程中，他總是向我介紹不同的亞洲美食，這些也讓我想更多了解中國?！?/p>
“到中國旅行不僅是了解中國文化的一種方式，也是向我祖先曾經(jīng)走過的土地致敬。一周的訪學(xué)時間遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不夠。我還有太多東西想探索，太多地方想?yún)⒂^?！?/p>
貝瑞表示，她打算去中國留學(xué)，了解中醫(yī)藥的起源。
林肯中學(xué)校長帕特里克·埃爾文說：“習(xí)主席（2015年）的訪問讓學(xué)生們看到了世界上的其他地方，特別是中國。他們從未見過像習(xí)近平主席這樣的大國領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人，所以這很特別，習(xí)主席送給學(xué)生們的禮物他們永生難忘?！?/p>
“這次訪問讓學(xué)生們大開眼界，隨后的中國之旅則徹底改變了他們的生活。新冠疫情暴發(fā)前有些人正計劃去中國學(xué)習(xí)，現(xiàn)在他們?nèi)韵Ｍ磺谢謴?fù)正常后能如愿赴華留學(xué)?！?/p>
這是習(xí)近平第二次訪問塔科馬市。1993年，時任福建省福州市委書記的習(xí)近平曾訪問過塔科馬市。一年后，塔科馬市和福州市建立了友好城市關(guān)系。
2008年，林肯中學(xué)和福州教育學(xué)院附屬中學(xué)簽訂了一項《友好交流諒解備忘錄》，致力于加強(qiáng)兩地師資、學(xué)生、文化和體育方面的交流。
此后，兩地展開了頻繁的文化和教育交流，構(gòu)建了富有成效的合作關(guān)系，為習(xí)近平的再次訪問創(chuàng)造了條件。
2021年，埃爾文向習(xí)近平主席致信，匯報該校近年來對華交流情況。該校接待了大約10個中國訪學(xué)團(tuán)，2016至2019年間每年有25至50名中國交流生前往該校學(xué)習(xí)交流。
埃爾文說，師生們在中國的訪學(xué)之旅成為改變他們?nèi)松囊淮温眯小?/p>
“在那里，有專心致志的學(xué)生，出色的教學(xué)，人們重視教育，將其視作通向更美好生活的大門。中國之旅讓孩子們決心要更加努力，追趕他們的中國朋友?！?/p>
記者：LINDA DENG (鄧彧)
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."
譯文
習(xí)近平主席比利時之行：增進(jìn)感情 厚植友誼
2014 年 3 月 30 日，出訪比利時期間，中國國家主席習(xí)近平和夫人彭麗媛出席了天堂動物園“大熊貓園”開園儀式。談及此，比利時天堂公園創(chuàng)始人兼園長埃里克·董伯至今難以忘懷。
此前，中方?jīng)Q定向比利時提供兩只大熊貓用于聯(lián)合科學(xué)研究，大熊貓星徽和好好剛從中國來到這里落戶。
在菲利普國王和瑪?shù)贍柕峦鹾蟮呐阃?，?xí)近平主席來到位于比利時首都布魯塞爾西南約60公里處的天堂動物園，為大熊貓園揭幕，兩國元首夫婦還共同為一棵玉蘭樹培上新土。
“我們感到非常榮幸，”董伯談到這次訪問時說，這是比利時國王以外的國家元首第一次參觀動物園和花園。“我們一起度過了一個多小時。那是一段美好的時光?！?/p>
董伯說，他很驚訝中國國家主席對古典園林如此了解。
他還對習(xí)近平主席像真正的園丁一樣種植玉蘭樹印象深刻，這與許多政府官員不同。
“他是一個非常謙虛、低調(diào)、出色的人?！?/p>
“中國園”占地 4.5萬平方米，現(xiàn)在已是五只大熊貓的家。中國園由來自上海的工人建造，董伯說他們是“真朋友、好朋友”。
池塘、亭臺、廟宇、橋梁、假山、雕塑、盆景、竹林、中藥材、花卉等來自中國的花卉和樹木，以及茶館和中餐廳，園內(nèi)極具中國特色的元素讓游客仿若“暢游中國”。
“中國園”融合了哲學(xué)、歷史、傳說、宗教和其他象征符號，天堂公園的導(dǎo)覽圖介紹說。
董伯說，在這樣的環(huán)境中大熊貓對游客來說很重要。
“這是開放文化的絕佳機(jī)會。我們能夠從其他文化和哲學(xué)中學(xué)習(xí)智慧?！?/p>
董伯很高興的見證，建造花園的中國工人懷著激動地心情見到了自己國家的領(lǐng)袖，并與之握手。
“那是一個美好的時刻，”他說。
“這些工人一直在努力工作。他們是偉大的工人。”
令他自豪的是，中國園的牌樓頂上寫著“中國夢”大字，恰巧與習(xí)近平主席提出的實現(xiàn)中華民族偉大復(fù)興的中國夢的口號一致。
2014年，中國國家元首時隔27年對比利時進(jìn)行國事訪問。
習(xí)近平主席和夫人彭麗媛在機(jī)場受到時任比利時首相迪呂波的歡迎。
會見前，菲利普國王為習(xí)近平主席舉行了隆重歡迎儀式。
訪比期間，習(xí)近平還向比利時無名烈士墓敬獻(xiàn)了花圈。
習(xí)近平主席同比利時首相迪呂波和議會領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人舉行了會談。
兩國簽署了涉及經(jīng)貿(mào)、科技和教育等領(lǐng)域的合作文件。
除動物園外，習(xí)近平主席在菲利普國王和瑪?shù)贍柕峦鹾笈阃逻€參觀了沃爾沃汽車公司根特工廠。
習(xí)近平還在比利時布魯日歐洲學(xué)院向廣大師生發(fā)表了關(guān)于中華文明和中歐關(guān)系的重要演講。
在布魯塞爾期間，習(xí)近平還訪問了歐盟總部并會見了歐盟領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人，成為1975年中歐建交以來首位訪問歐盟總部的中國國家元首。
僅僅一年后的 2015 年 6 月 23 日，應(yīng)習(xí)近平主席的邀請，菲利普國王對中國進(jìn)行了為期一周的國事訪問。
這是菲利普國王自 2013 年 7 月加冕以來的首場海外國事訪問。
2021年10月25日，習(xí)近平主席同菲利普國王互致兩國建交50周年賀電。
幾十年來，中國和比利時的關(guān)系有了長足發(fā)展。
比利時政府稱，去年兩國雙邊貿(mào)易額為 328 億歐元（約2312億元人民幣），比 2020 年增長了 22.8%。
兩國現(xiàn)有32對友好城市。
“中比堅持自由貿(mào)易和開放型世界經(jīng)濟(jì)，歡迎對方企業(yè)和人民，積極開展各領(lǐng)域務(wù)實合作，不僅讓自己受益，而且通過合作推動對方發(fā)展?！?中國駐比利時大使曹忠明去年10月在《中國日報》一篇紀(jì)念中比建交50周年的文章中寫道。
董伯說，疫情暴發(fā)前，他每年都訪問中國，已經(jīng)到過中國25次。
在其中一次訪問期間，他再次見到了習(xí)主席和夫人彭麗媛。
這是在習(xí)近平主席到訪天堂公園一年后，董伯與比利時代表團(tuán)一起到訪北京并參加晚宴。
在簡短的交談中，彭麗媛問到大熊貓星徽和好好是否已經(jīng)有了下一代。
董伯說：“夫人，我保證很快就會有幼崽的。”
不久后，他開始聯(lián)系星徽和好好老家四川的大熊貓科學(xué)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寶。
這是在比利時出生的第一只大熊貓。
今年6月2日，動物園工作人員和大熊貓粉絲為天寶慶祝六歲生日時，董伯告訴《中國日報》：“從某種意義上說，天寶的出生也是一種承諾?！?/p>
2019年8月8日，好好再次通過人工授精產(chǎn)下雙胞胎幼崽。
雄性幼崽取名寶弟，雌性幼崽叫寶妹，用董伯的話來說是“龍鳳胎”，這是中國的傳統(tǒng)稱呼。
董伯說，由于疫情，他仍無法前往中國，這讓他感到遺憾。
他曾到蘇州領(lǐng)略中國傳統(tǒng)園林，到福建品味茶文化和客家文化，到景德鎮(zhèn)探尋中國瓷器，到宜興探尋中國陶器的魅力。
董伯說，他從小就對中國文化和發(fā)明著迷，當(dāng)時他的父母在家中擺放有中國瓷器和唐代雕塑。
他還對中國的絲綢和茶文化產(chǎn)生了濃厚的興趣。
從海蜇到豆腐乳，他簡直愛上了中餐。
“我一定有中國血統(tǒng)，”董伯說。
“我對其他國家沒有這種感覺?！?/p>
記者：陳衛(wèi)華
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".
譯文
習(xí)主席巴基斯坦之行：譜寫中巴友誼新篇章
自習(xí)近平主席2015年訪問巴基斯坦以來，中巴關(guān)系一直保持著蓬勃發(fā)展的勢頭。
雖然已經(jīng)過去了七年，但是巴基斯坦駐華大使莫因·哈克(Moin ul Haque)仍然記得他的團(tuán)隊為迎接習(xí)近平主席的歷史性訪問所做準(zhǔn)備的全部細(xì)節(jié)。
時任巴基斯坦外交部禮賓司司長的哈克說: “巴基斯坦首都伊斯蘭堡進(jìn)行了一些改造和裝飾，城市的許多地方都亮起了彩燈?！?/p>
“街道兩旁插滿了中巴兩國國旗、張貼了閃亮的標(biāo)語和印有兩國元首肖像的巨幅海報。整座城市看上去非常喜慶。”
標(biāo)語牌上用中英文寫著: “中巴友誼比山高、比海深、比蜜甜、比鋼硬。”其他口號還包括“巴中友誼萬歲”和“巴中是鐵哥們”。
哈克說，當(dāng)習(xí)主席乘坐的專機(jī)進(jìn)入巴基斯坦領(lǐng)空時，巴基斯坦空軍的8架“梟龍”戰(zhàn)機(jī)起飛全程護(hù)航?！皸n龍”戰(zhàn)機(jī)由中巴合作生產(chǎn)。
“這是前所未有的禮遇——只有習(xí)主席受到了如此熱烈的歡迎?！?/p>
2015年4月20日至21日，習(xí)近平主席對巴基斯坦進(jìn)行了首次國事訪問。
哈克說: “為了確保一切順利，我們針對不同的活動場合進(jìn)行了多次彩排?！崩?，他要求巴基斯坦國際航空公司提供同一型號的飛機(jī)參加抵達(dá)時的歡迎儀式的排練，包括飛機(jī)將在哪里停留，政府官員和來自多所學(xué)校的數(shù)百名學(xué)生站在哪里歡迎習(xí)主席。
哈克說: “習(xí)主席在巴基斯坦備受尊敬。因為他是一位政治家，一位遠(yuǎn)見卓識的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人，一位奉行以人民為中心、全心全意為人民服務(wù)的領(lǐng)袖?！?/p>
哈克說，中國自70年代末改革開放以來，完成了消除絕對貧困的艱巨任務(wù)、使近8億人口脫貧，巴基斯坦人民對這一“偉大奇跡”贊不絕口。
巴基斯坦人民同樣贊賞習(xí)主席對中巴兩國友誼的承諾。
“那次訪問期間，我們被習(xí)主席關(guān)于中巴關(guān)系重要性以及中巴關(guān)系未來的論述所打動?！?/p>
訪問期間，中巴雙方?jīng)Q定將中巴關(guān)系提升為全天候戰(zhàn)略合作伙伴關(guān)系。
“中巴始終相互信任、相互理解、相互支持，是全天候朋友。”習(xí)近平說?！爸蟹礁叨戎匾暟l(fā)展同巴基斯坦的關(guān)系，始終把中巴關(guān)系置于中國外交優(yōu)先方向?！?/p>
中巴雙邊關(guān)系升級之際，兩國正準(zhǔn)備擴(kuò)大在各個領(lǐng)域的合作，中巴經(jīng)濟(jì)走廊是“一帶一路”倡議中的重要議題。
中巴經(jīng)濟(jì)走廊是一個包括公路、鐵路和能源項目的網(wǎng)絡(luò)，連接巴基斯坦西南部的深水港瓜達(dá)爾港和中國的新疆維吾爾自治區(qū)。
同日，雙方在能源、交通基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施、產(chǎn)業(yè)園區(qū)和瓜達(dá)爾港建設(shè)等領(lǐng)域簽署了51項合作協(xié)議和諒解備忘錄。其中30多項協(xié)議旨在推動中巴經(jīng)濟(jì)走廊的發(fā)展。
訪問期間，習(xí)近平主席在巴基斯坦議會發(fā)表題為《構(gòu)建中巴命運共同體 開辟合作共贏新征程》的重要演講，并向巴基斯坦友好人士和團(tuán)體代表頒發(fā)和平共處五項原則友誼獎，表彰他們?yōu)橥苿又邪陀押盟髫暙I(xiàn)。習(xí)主席還在巴基斯坦總理府種下了中巴友誼樹。
巴基斯坦參議院國防和國防生產(chǎn)委員會主席、穆斯林聯(lián)盟（領(lǐng)袖派）秘書長、巴中學(xué)會主席穆沙希德·侯賽因·賽義德(Mushahid Hussain Sayed)表示，習(xí)近平主席在伊斯蘭堡為他頒發(fā)了和平共處五項原則友誼獎，他感到這是“一個莫大的榮幸?！?/p>
“這是一個非常親切友好的姿態(tài)，一個大國元首和全球政治家面帶微笑，堅定地伸出手，說出了溫暖的贊美之詞:‘祝賀你！感謝你為中巴友誼做出的貢獻(xiàn)。'”
訪問具有歷史意義
哈克表示，習(xí)主席訪問巴基斯坦對兩國關(guān)系具有歷史意義，并將兩國關(guān)系提升到了一個更高的水平。哈克說，全天候戰(zhàn)略合作伙伴關(guān)系意味著中巴關(guān)系經(jīng)受住了時間的考驗，是“鐵哥們”，得到巴基斯坦政壇的完全支持，涵蓋兩國關(guān)系的方方面面，從政治到國防、安全、貿(mào)易、投資、文化和全球問題。
哈克表示，中巴經(jīng)濟(jì)走廊“在那次訪問的議程上占據(jù)重要位置，并已經(jīng)成為一個變革者，在過去幾年里真正改變了巴基斯坦的經(jīng)濟(jì)版圖”。中巴經(jīng)濟(jì)走廊升級了巴基斯坦的基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施，包括道路、高速公路和光纖通訊網(wǎng)絡(luò)。
“這一點極其重要，因為沒有配套的現(xiàn)代化基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施，就不可能有經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展?！惫搜a(bǔ)充說。
他說，中巴經(jīng)濟(jì)走廊的多個能源項目幫助巴基斯坦緩解了嚴(yán)重的能源短缺問題。
瓜達(dá)爾港被視為中巴經(jīng)濟(jì)走廊皇冠上的明珠。它曾經(jīng)是一個小漁村， 現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)建設(shè)成為一個現(xiàn)代化的港口。港口周圍建立了一個自由貿(mào)易區(qū)，以及一些配套設(shè)施，包括學(xué)校、醫(yī)院和一座新機(jī)場。哈克說，那里還在建設(shè)更多的工廠。
哈克說: “港口的建設(shè)不僅改善了當(dāng)?shù)厝说纳?，而且還有利于兩國之間的貿(mào)易聯(lián)系，以及與中亞地區(qū)的互聯(lián)互通?！?/p>
巴基斯坦駐華大使館表示，中巴經(jīng)濟(jì)走廊為巴基斯坦創(chuàng)造了7.5萬個就業(yè)崗位，每年對巴基斯坦國內(nèi)生產(chǎn)總值（ GDP ）的貢獻(xiàn)達(dá)到了1% 至2% 。
《巴基斯坦（2022-2023）年度規(guī)劃》指出，中巴經(jīng)濟(jì)走廊工作重點包括工業(yè)化、農(nóng)業(yè)現(xiàn)代化和科技發(fā)展。目標(biāo)是收獲第一階段(2015-2020年)交通和能源基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施項目投資的紅利。
伊斯蘭堡戰(zhàn)略研究所中巴研究中心主任塔拉特?沙比爾(Talat Shabbir)表示，第二階段將開展產(chǎn)業(yè)合作，其中一個重點是建設(shè)四個經(jīng)濟(jì)特區(qū)。沙比爾說，這些措施旨在加強(qiáng)產(chǎn)業(yè)、促進(jìn)貿(mào)易、創(chuàng)造就業(yè)和推動巴基斯坦經(jīng)濟(jì)增長。
合作富有成效
“巴基斯坦經(jīng)濟(jì)的根本問題在于，工業(yè)發(fā)展方面遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)落后，導(dǎo)致進(jìn)口超過出口?！?沙比爾說。“毫無疑問，產(chǎn)業(yè)合作將為重振巴基斯坦脆弱的經(jīng)濟(jì)提供巨大幫助?！?/p>
沙比爾補(bǔ)充稱，中國“在經(jīng)驗、技術(shù)、融資和產(chǎn)能等方面具有優(yōu)勢，而巴基斯坦在自然資源、勞動力和國際市場方面具有有利條件”。
巴基斯坦南亞與國際研究中心主任馬哈茂德·烏爾·哈?！ず?Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan)表示，基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施投資帶來的顯著 GDP 增長，將有助于在2030年前讓110萬巴基斯坦人脫離極端貧困。
巴基斯坦《每日郵報》社社長、巴基斯坦中國研究院院長馬克東·巴伯表示，中巴經(jīng)濟(jì)走廊建設(shè)正在成功推進(jìn)，能源、工業(yè)、互聯(lián)互通等方面的項目完成后，將“改變巴基斯坦欠發(fā)達(dá)地區(qū)的社會經(jīng)濟(jì)格局”。
中國日報記者：陳穎群 許薇薇
