Chinese president conferred with Nishan-e-Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping was conferred with Pakistan's highest civilian award, the Nishan-e-Pakistan, at a special ceremony at the President House in Islamabad on Tuesday.

Jinping was welcomed to the Presidency by President Mamnoon Hussain and his wife. Several dignitaries, including chief ministers, governors, service chiefs, diplomats and other important personalities were attended the ceremony.

The award followed the Chinese president's address to a joint sitting of Parliament called in honour of the visiting dignitary, where Jinping hailed the longstanding Pakistan-China relationship and called the neighbouring country its ‘Iron Brother’.

Also read: Chinese president hails Pakistan as ‘Iron Brother’ in address to Parliament

Jinping's address was the first address by any Chinese president to a joint sitting of Pakistan's Parliament.

The visit has been seen as historic, with the Chinese president unveiling the key $45 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, which aims to create direct links between China and the Arabian Sea, bring growth to the restive western Chinese region of Xinjiang, and boost the Pakistani economy and transform the country into a regional economic hub.