CHENGDU: On December 9 and 10, a delegation of 15 representatives from Pakistani media visited Chengdu, capital city of southwest China’s Sichuan Province. They walked into leading enterprises, industrial bases, and research institutions in the city to gain firsthand information about and experience of China’s practice in high-quality development.
Chengdu International Railway Port, a hub located in Qingbaijiang District of the city, was one of the delegation’s destinations. As one of the starting places of the China-Europe Railway Express, the port plays a vital role in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
After visiting the port,Moiz Farooq,executive editor of Daily Ittehad Media Group, said he got a clearer picture of what the BRI is. “When I saw how China is connected with the entire world through railway, I was left in awe.”
Fahd Gauhar Malik, editor of Pakistan Observer, said visiting Chengdu International Railway Port was an enlightening experience. He was amazed at how advanced China has become in logistics and supply chains.
Malik was also impressed by Chengdu-Eurasia National (Commodity) Pavilion, which is located within Chengdu International Railway Port,serving as an open platform for product exhibitions and cultural exchanges with the countries and regions involved in the BRI. It houses 34 distinctive pavilions from Europe, Asia and other regions, which exhibit and sell a wide range of products.
“We went to the Pakistan pavilion and we saw many of our own things from our country,” said Malik in excitement. “That was a really great feeling.”
Yasir Habib Khan, founder and director of the Pakistani think tank Institute of International Relations and Media Research, was taken aback when visiting Eastern Suburb Memory, one of the representative cultural and creative parks in Chengdu. Repurposed from the former Hongguang Electron Tube Factory built in the 1950s, the park has now become a new center of fashion in the city, featuring performances and exhibitions, galleries and shops, and bars and restaurants.
Khan was truly inspired by how an industrial area has been converted into a commercial one. “I think this is a very good idea to give an impetus to economic activity,” he said. “In this way the employment is generated and the people are engaged with different businesses, so they make a profit and this profit is shared with everyone.” He added that he would love to introduce this kind of business model to Pakistan.
Nausheen Yusuf, reporter associated with Pakistani Goe News, was excited to see real giant pandas first time in her life at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. She was dazzled by the way the black-and-white animals have been downgraded from endangered to vulnerable with China’s effective efforts.“Their population is growing and their lifespan is increasing, and they are provided with the best food and the best health services,” said she.
Also, Yusuf did on-site reporting for her television. “I want my audience to see that animals are taken such good care of in China.” She believes that Pakistan could learn from China’s experience in protecting endangered species.
Farzana Ali, bureau chief of Aaj News Peshawar, has been associated with journalism for 26 years. After visiting Kuanzhai Alley, a 300-year-old historic block in downtown Chengdu, Ali was fascinated by how the city has preserved and renovated the cultural and historical site to attract visitors from across the world. “It’s a very good thing for generating tourism revenue.” said she.
Mahzaib Abbasi, a Pakistani influencer with a total of 400,000 followers, has been showcasing Chinese culture, food and daily life through her vlogs. She graduated from Beijing Language and Culture University and had lived in China for seven years.
During her trip in Chengdu, Abbasi shot lots of videos for her next vlog. “Through my vlogs, people in Pakistan will understand what China looks like,” said Abbasi. The two-day visit in Chengdu is part of an activity themed “China Tour for Pakistani Media and Think Tank.” Starting from Beijing on December 6, the delegation’s tour will continue in several other Chinese cities till December 16.Enditem
