China puts people first on new journey of ‘building great Country’

BEijing Mian abRaR

tHEannual gathering of more than 2,900 deputies to the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s national legislature, in Beijing for the country’s development and reform priorities, among other things, has drawn to a close. At the closing meeting of the first session of the 14th NPC on Monday morning, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to perform his duty scrupulously, do his utmost, and prove worthy of the trust of all NPC deputies and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups.

In a speech broadcast live, Xi, who was on Friday elected Chinese president by a unanimous vote, said the people’s trust is the biggest motivation that drives him to march on and is a great responsibility he shoulders.

“From this day forward to the mid-21st century, the central task of the entire Communist Party of China (CPC) and all Chinese people will be to build China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts,” he said.

HigH-quality development: High-quality development, which entails innovative, coordinated, green and open development and development for everyone, was one of the buzzwords during the country’s all-important political event.

While attending a deliberation with his fellow NPC deputies from the delegation of Jiangsu Province during the session, Xi stressed the importance of pursuing high-quality development, calling it the “first and foremost” task in China’s modernization endeavor. As one of the engines driving China’s economic growth, Jiangsu has become a front-runner in the country’s modernization bid. In 2022, the province’s GDP reached 12.28 trillion yuan ($1.77 trillion), a 2.8-percent in- crease over the previous year, and its economic output accounted for 10.2 percent of the country’s total.

The Chinese leader also highlighted the role of the private sector in pursuing such development when he attended a joint group meeting of national political advisors last week, underscoring that private enterprises and entrepreneurs “belong to our own family” and urging them to take the initiative.

China’s economy as a whole has grown by leaps and bounds, with a greener and more efficient economy enabled by a shifted focus to high-quality development. For instance, the country’s energy consumption per 10,000 yuan of gross domestic product in 2022 decreased by 0.1 percent from 2021, while CO2 emissions per 10,000 yuan of GDP fell 0.8 percent year on year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. In Monday’s speech, Xi reiterated that efforts should be made to effectively upgrade and appropriately expand China’s economy, and continuously increase the country’s economic strength, scientific and technological capabilities and composite national strength. people-centered pHilosopHy: China’s ultimate goal of promoting high-quality development is to deliver happiness and well-being to its people, as the country’s leadership has made clear on many occasions. In building a modern socialist country in all respects, the most challenging and arduous tasks are believed to remain in the rural areas, highlighting the need for further efforts to advance rural revitalization across the board.

Shadab named captain as Pakistan announce squad for Afghanistan T20 series

LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday announced a 15-member squad for a three-match T20 series against Afghanistan with all-rounder Shadab Khan picked to lead the side in the absence of full-time skipper Babar Azam, who has been rested.

PCB Managing Committee head Najam Sethi and Chief Selector Haroon Rashid made the announcement, saying that the squad was finalised keeping in view the team’s future plans. Squad included, Shadab Khan (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood, Tayyab Tahir, Zaman Khan. Pakistan captain Babar Azam, along with Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi have been rested, while Asif Ali, Haider

Ali, Mohammad Hasnain and Khushdil Shah have been dropped. These nine players were part of the Pakistan squad that reached the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. The three-match series will be played between March 24 and 27 in Sharjah. Afghanistan have played Pakistan in three T20 Internationals and four ODIs in multinational events without any win so far but this will be the first bilateral series between the two countries.

Saudi FM hopeful to exchange visits with Iran

RiyAdH agencieS

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said that the Saudi government is preparing for the resumption of bilateral relations with Iran in a couple of months and expressed hope to exchange visits with Iran. In a Chinese-mediated deal, Saudi Arabia and Iran have decided to resume their diplomatic relations and reached a concord to reopen embassies that were shut down since 2016. The tensions were at their peak as the Saudi government executed Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr upon conviction of terrorism among other 46 people. Prince Faisal, in an interview with the Saudi-owned Al Sharq Al Awsat news agency, said that the recent agreement with Tehran to resume diplomatic ties confirms the desire of both sides “to resolve differences through communication and dialogue”. He also stressed that it doesn’t mean that it has “resolved all the other outstanding differences between the two countries.” Prince Faisal said he was looking forward to meeting his Iranian counterpart soon as per the agreement. “We are preparing to resume diplomatic relations between our countries within the next two months, and it’s natural that we exchange visits in the future,” he said. Saudi Arabia and Iran are neighbouring countries thathave many common features such as religion, culture and history, said the Saudi minister. The Saudi prince also stressed that the deal “served as evidence of our mutual desire to resolve [the differences] through communication and dialogue, through peaceful ways and diplomatic instruments.” Prince Faisal also added that the Kingdom hopes to open a new chapter with Iran and to enhance the prospects of cooperation in a way that positively impacts the strengthening of security and stability, and the advancement of development and prosperity, not only for Saudi Arabia and Iran but in the region as a whole.The Saudi minister, while talking about the Iranian nuclear programme, stated that Iran’s continued development of its nuclear capabilities is undoubtedly a concern for the kingdom, and the Saudi government repeats its call for the Gulf region and the Middle East to be free of weapons of mass destruction. He went on to mention that Saudi Arabia calls on Iran to commit to its nuclear obligations and increase its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). “We will continue to work with allies and friends in order to ensure this,” Faisal bin Farhan highlighted. Underlining the Chinese mediation between the two countries, the Saudi Prince said: “China has positive relations with both parties, which contributed to aligning views and highlighting the legitimate concerns of the Kingdom.”