Pakistani President Arif Alvi Wednesday evening gives a speech at the opening ceremony of the 3rd China International Import Expo (CIIE) held in Shanghai through video. (Photo: Courtesy of Pakistani Embassy to China)

Pakistani President Arif Alvi Wednesday evening praised the special and unique China-Pakistan relationship that has stood the test of time, congratulating the Chinese people for successfully dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, at the opening ceremony of the 3rd China International Import Expo (CIIE) held in Shanghai through a special video message.

Alvi expressed appreciation for the organizers of the CIIE for arranging the event amid challenging circumstances brought about by COVID-19, and also recalled his solidarity visit to China in March 2020 during the peak of the coronavirus epidemic.

President Alvi said that the third phase trials of a COVID-19 vaccine were being conducted in Pakistan with Chinese collaboration and the vaccine (upon its completion) will not only benefit Pakistan but also the world at large.

He noted that as Pakistan had handled COVID-19 well without closing its industries, its economy was improving, adding that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), was still forging ahead successfully.

According to President Alvi, the CPEC focused on the energy and infrastructure sectors in the first phase, and now it is in its second phase development of the social sector, agriculture and establishment of industry.

He said that the Special Economic Zones were being established in Pakistan to attract investment from China and the rest of the world, and foreign investment in the country will provide jobs, improve people's livelihoods and help in poverty alleviation in Pakistan.

The 3rd CIIE is running from Thursday to Tuesday. More than 2,700 businesses from over 120 countries and regions will attend the Expo, according to official CIIE data. On the buying end, about 400,000 professional buyers have registered to participate.

According to a report by the Pakistani news site the Pakistan Daily, a well-known Pakistani manufacturer showcased its high-quality dental and surgical instruments at the CIIE and Symposium on Dental Equipment, Technology and Products, or "DenTech China" held in Shanghai word.