Ambassador of Pakistan to China Masood Khalid addressing the audience at the Chinese-language speech competition at the Pakistan Embassy College in Beijing on June 16 (COURTESY OF PAKISTANI EMBASSY)

As part of the celebrations of 2015 as the Year of Friendly Exchanges between China and Pakistan, the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing in partnership with the Chinese Foreign Ministry arranged a Chinese-language speech contest amongst the teenage college students at the Pakistan Embassy College Beijing on June 16.

Liu Jianchao, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, was the chief guest on the occasion.

Liu while addressing the audience appreciated the strong momentum of growth China-Pakistan relations continued to maintain. He said that he had witnessed booming cultural exchanges between the two peoples over the years and the leaders frequenting each others' countries like relatives.

"The Pakistani people, especially the young people are becoming more enthusiastic about learning the Chinese language," he pointed out, adding that he believed that "mastering the Chinese language was good not only for boosting people-to-people contacts but also for the all-round cooperation between the two countries."

 He advised that "learning the Chinese language could be very helpful for the self-development of the learners and could also open up windows of opportunities for their rise."

China, being a vast country was both ancient and young. It also had a diverse culture and "China could be different in the eyes of different people," Liu remarked.

Ambassador Masood Khalid highlighted the significance of Chinese language in bringing the peoples of the two countries closer. He said that he found the Chinese language to be a "living language" evolving through ages and absorbing elements of modernity.

Khalid said that the Chinese language was being taught in schools in Pakistan. He said that he cherished the Chinese traditions and values of respect and friendship. He also expressed his gratitude to the Chinese Foreign Ministry for supporting the contest.

Ambassador Sha Zukang, President of the China-Pakistan Friendship Association, and a panel of judges comprising Huang Xilian and Liu Pengfei from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Tang Mengsheng from Peking University and Jian Li from No. 55 School also participated.