Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said Pakistan was looking toward China to seek support in every walk of life in a bid to ensure sustainable development.

“In view of China’s immense progress in the last three decades, Pakistan is interested in learning from the country’s experience in reforms, particularly in trade and agriculture,” the premier said while talking to the heads of leading Chinese companies and investors in Islamabad on Monday.

PM Sharif said the Chinese development was a model to emulate in fields of industry, trade, information technology, and agriculture.

“Pakistan needs support from Chinese investors not in terms of aid but in terms of investment and expertise,” the premier said.

He said with a background of a trusted friendship between the two countries, it was an opportunity for Pakistan to learn from the Chinese experience about reforms in the areas of public interest.

He emphasized the need for promoting bilateral trade by means of improving the level of exports and imports in diverse areas.

He said Pakistan was also interested in learning skills from China for the enrichment of its energy resources.

PM Sharif thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping for extending his support to Pakistan in the shape of the multi-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, which he said was helping Pakistan to move forward.

He regarded President Xi as a visionary leader and recalled that he had inked several projects along with then prime minister Nawaz Sharif to improve power generation in Pakistan aimed at addressing the energy crisis.

He expressed confidence that the friendship between Pakistan and China would grow with time for the benefit of their nations.