Published on: September 24, 2025 4:04 AM

From September 12th to 21st, President Asif Ali Zardari was invited to attend the opening ceremony of the 2025 Golden Panda International Cultural Forum, and subsequently paid visits to Sichuan Province, Shanghai Municipality, and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. This marked President Zardari’s second visit to China following his state visit in February this year – a vivid testament to his profound affection for the Chinese people and great importance attached to China-Pakistan relations. As President Zardari penned in his article for China Daily, “As I recall my frequent visits to China in the past several decades, I have always considered China my home away from home. The warmth and hospitality extended to me and my family, and the staunch and steadfast support given to the people of Pakistan on every occasion are cherished impressions etched in my memory.” During this journey to his “home away from home”, President Zardari traversed three provincial-level administrative regions, visited four destinations, met with heads of local governments, and engaged with ordinary Chinese citizens. This trip has added new chapters to the legendary China-Pakistan friendship, advanced practical bilateral cooperation, and deepened the bond between our two peoples.

Currently, both China and Pakistan are in a critical phase of development and rejuvenation, and both are dedicated to fulfilling their people’s aspirations for a better life.

This is a journey of civilization and innovation, shaped by mutual commitment. At the opening ceremony of the 2025 Golden Panda International Cultural Forum held in Chengdu, Sichuan, President Zardari delivered a speech, praising the forum for using the universal language of art to bridge divides and connects communities across the globe. He emphasized that this stands as a vivid practice of the Global Civilization Initiative, embodying the concepts of diversity of civilizations, equality among cultures, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural dialogue as a counter to narratives of a clash of civilizations. This not only underscores the profound significance of the Golden Panda Forum in fostering mutual learning among world civilizations, but also directly conveys the earnest aspirations of the two peoples to deepen China-Pakistan people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

We are delighted to witness a host of heartwarming interactions between the two nations: the film BaTie Girl graced screens in both countries; the Gandhara Art Exhibition made its debut to the Palace Museum in China; Pakistani mangoes became a sensation among Chinese netizens; the “Tea for Harmony” cultural activity won widespread popularity in Pakistan; numerous Chinese universities now offer Urdu programs while a “Study-in-China” fever sweeps through Pakistan’s younger generation; the........

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