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ISLAMABAD: Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing called on Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Dr Fehmida Mirza to hold deliberations for the inauguration of Sino-Pak Sister Cities Forum expected to be held next month.
The forum will cultivate practical cooperation and promote development projects under the Sister Cities Project between China and Pakistan.
The federal minister said the government seeks to cultivate tangible outcomes from Sister Cities Project with China that will enhance bilateral relations and transfer benefits of friendship with China to the grass-root level.”
She also observed that the forum would facilitate cooperation in province-city management, service delivery mechanism, public health, a model village, environmental protection, poverty alleviation, trade and investment, tourism cooperation, urbanisation and vocational education.
The Chinese ambassador acknowledged the proposal prepared by the IPC Ministry for the establishment of Sino-Pak Forum for Sister Cities Project.
He said that project would enhance mutual understanding between local governments of the two countries and boost socioeconomic ties of both countries.
Sister Cities
Earlier this year in March, Chinese cities Puyang, Urumqi, and Xian were declared as sister cities to Gwadar, Karachi, and Multan respectively.
Dr Fehmida Mirza and the Chinese officials signed separate agreements at a forum organised in Beijing to augment the friendly relations between the two countries.
The federal minister had said Pakistan highly treasured its cooperation and relationship with China. She expressed hope that the diplomatic visits and people-to-people contact between the two countries further strengthen the bilateral relations at social, political, cultural, and economic levels.
The event further discussed the initiative of declaring the Chinese towns as twin cities to the Pakistani cities. This step will facilitate cooperation in province-city management, environmental protection, public health, trade and investment, poverty alleviation, urbanization, tourism cooperation, and vocational/professional education.
Sister cities or twin towns refer to a form of social or legal agreement between towns, cities, or even countries in politically and geographically different areas to promote commercial and cultural ties.
