ISLAMABAD, May 06 (DNA):Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz on Wednesday said the continued Chinese assistance to Pakistan for combating the COVID-19 pandemic  was another manifestation of the deep-rooted and time tested Pak China friendship.          He said this during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing, who called on him here.

The information minister said the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan had taken a number of measures to combat COVID-19 and at the same time accorded due consideration to help out the needy and provide support to the small businesses and industries, especially the construction industry, which provided sustenance to thousands of daily wage workers.

Ambassador Yao Jing appreciated Pakistan’s singular drive to fight off the Covid 19 challenge. He said China would keep up its support to Pakistan at the critical juncture.               He expressed China’s intention for investment in labour intensive sectors in Pakistan, particularly the prime minister’s affordable housing programme with a view to bolster the government’s efforts to help the poor and deserving.

The minister welcomed the initiative and said low cost housing was among the government’s priorities. He said investment in the labour intensive sectors would help generate multiple job opportunities in the country. Full facilitation would be extended to the Chinese side for such investment, he added.

Yao Jing while reaffirming the resolve to resume cultural and media exchanges between the two countries as stipulated under the ambit of existing memorandums of understanding, made special mention of the proposed Pak-China joint co-production agreement which was at draft stage.

The minister welcomed the idea of resuming media and cultural exchanges once the conditions got better. He said the goal of enhanced media cooperation would be vigorously pursued. He said the proposed agreement on co-production was under process and once the draft was finalized, it would be shared with the Chinese side.

The Chinese ambassador also on the occasion congratulated Senator Shibli Faraz for assuming responsibilities as Minister for Information and Broadcasting and wished him the best in his future endeavours. The minister thanked him for the kind sentiments.

The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of I&B, and the Foreign Office.