Malik Azhar Shafi, a former sports enthusiast from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and ex secretary of the provincial swimming association, emphasized the pivotal role of Canada’s trade relations with China in shaping both the Canadian economy’s day-to-day operations and its global engagement strategy. He shared these thoughts during his visit to the Chinese Cultural Center in Peshawar, where he was accompanied by Naeem Khan, leader of the Awami National Party Japan. Azhar Shafi toured various galleries of the China Window and signed the Friendship Wall. Expressing his satisfaction with the center’s establishment in Peshawar, he described it as a cutting-edge facility fostering Pakistan-China friendship and serving as a vital communication bridge at a grassroots level.
Azhar Shafi highlighted Canada’s longstanding relationship with China, which predates the establishment of formal diplomatic ties in 1970. He noted Canada’s diplomatic presence in Beijing, along with consulates general in Chongqing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, supported by a network of trade offices across China.
“We collaborate with China at federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal levels,” Azhar Shafi remarked, citing areas such as trade, investment, environmental stewardship, education, culture, and consular affairs.
He underscored the strong people-to-people ties between Canada and China, noting that over 1.8 million Canadian residents are of Chinese origin. Additionally, in 2022, more than 128,000 Chinese students pursued studies in Canada, contributing to cultural exchange and bilateral enrichment.
Azhar Shafi commended the organizers of China Window in Peshawar for their pivotal role in enhancing Pakistan-China relations. During the visit, Amjad Aziz Malik, the administrator of China Window, presented Azhar Shafi with the China Window Magazine in acknowledgment of his support.
