Pakistan top leadership felicitates Iron Brother China on National Day

Islamabad: Top Pakistani leadership including President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi have felicitated the government and the people of Iron Brother China on their national day, celebrated on Thursday.

The Pakistani leaders sent messages to their Chinese counterparts and counted the success of the all-weather friend in the recent years.

They thanked China for launching the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which was set to change the fate of the whole region.

Government officials said that the Pakistani leaders in their messages had hoped that the two friendly nations will further enhance the cooperation in the years to come.

The Pakistani leaders acknowledged that China had always remained on Pakistan’s side in difficult times which spoke volumes about the brotherhood

President Alvi said Pakistan and China had taken the level of cooperation to the highest level and were still working for more joint efforts.

PM Imran Khan said the Pakistan-China ties had gone from strength to strength as he expressed the optimism to enhance to relationship further.

FM Qureshi said Pakistan and China had never looked back and had set new precedents in friendship.

Governors and Chief Ministers of Pakistani provinces also sent messages to the Chinese leadership on the auspicious occasion.

Officially the National Day of the People’s Republic of China is a public holiday in China celebrated annually on October 1 as the national day of the People’s Republic of China, commemorating the formal establishment of the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949.

The Chinese Communist Party victory in the Chinese Civil War resulted in the Chinese Communist Revolution in which the People’s Republic of China replaced the Republic of China.

Although it is observed on October 1, another six days are added to the official holiday, normally in lieu of the two weekend breaks around October 1, making it a de facto public holiday comprising seven consecutive days also known as Golden Week with specifics regulated by the State Council.

Festivities and concerts are usually held nationwide on this day, with a grand military parade and mass pageant event held on select years.

An old tradition revived in the 2019 is the publication of the ‘National Day Honours List’ by the State Council as a measure of national gratitude and recognition of services rendered by a number of local and foreign-born individuals in charitable actions, as role models to the Chinese people, in contributing to the growth of the economy and the nation’s sporting prestige, in fostering diplomatic relations with countries of the world and preserving and promoting Chinese culture and the arts by their appointment as recipients of national medals and national honorary titles in the name of the state. The President and General Secretary is the presiding officer of the awarding ceremony, which usually is held in the Great Hall of the People days before National Day itself.

For many years, the 6 am National Day flag-raising ceremony is the more important act without any anniversary parades. Held at the Tiananmen Square, since 2017 the Beijing Garrison Honour Guard Battalion’s Colour Guard Company is present for the ceremony with the National Marching Band of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

Being a close friend, Pakistan also celebrates China’s National day at different levels. Special functions are held in the educational institutions to mark the day. The students are apprised about the depth of the Pakistan-China friendship.

The Chinese embassy in Islamabad and its consulates in various big cities also celebrate the day and host functions.