The Pakistan-China Center is launched in Qingdao, Shandong province on Jan 18. [Photo by Hu Yaojie/chinanews.com]  

Pakistan's ambassador to China, Moin ul Haque, and Liu Jianjun, Party Secretary of Qingdao's Jiaozhou district and director-general of Shanghai Cooperation Organization Demonstration Area, jointly inaugurated the Pakistan-China Center in Jiaozhou district of Qingdao on Jan 18. The center is aimed at deepening Pakistan's links with Shanghai Cooperation Organization member States, especially China, in diverse fields of cooperation.

Speaking at the occasion, Haque highlighted that since becoming an SCO member in June 2017, Pakistan has been closely coordinating with all SCO member countries for the attainment of common objectives. He underscored that establishment of the China-Pakistan Center in the demonstration area marked a major step towards Pakistan's closer integration with member countries in multifaceted areas of cooperation, including bilateral trade, investment, sports, people-to-people exchanges and two-way tourism.

Haque also expressed optimism that Pakistan-China cooperation heralds the beginning of a new phase of cooperation between Pakistan and Qingdao in areas of common interests. He thanked the government of Qingdao for its continued support for the center's establishment.