Pakistani embassy in China celebrates 78th Independence Day

China

Pakistani embassy in China celebrates 78th Independence Day

2024-08-14 17:43 Last Updated At：08-15 15:37

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Embassy of Pakistan in China held a flag-hoisting ceremony to celebrate Pakistan's 78th Independence Day on Wednesday.

The Independence Day falls on August 14 every year to mark Pakistan's independence from British rule in 1947.

To mark the occasion, attendees donned traditional Pakistani attire, the shalwar kameez, as the embassy courtyard came alive with music and a festive atmosphere.

Khalil Hashmi, Pakistan's Ambassador to China, said that his country "takes a lot of pride" in what it has achieved nationally, and also hailed the strength of ties with China, with the two neighbors having been described as "iron brothers."

"Looking at Pakistan-China relations, we also take a lot of pride in having developed a very stable, a very strong bilateral, strategic partnership between our two countries," said Hashmi.

The ambassador noted that there is no area in which the two countries have not engaged bilaterally, with cooperation spanning the realms of diplomacy, politics, defense, economy, trade, investment, culture, education, agriculture, and science and technology. Hashmi also expressed deep admiration for the recently-concluded Paris Olympics and praised the performances of athletes from both China and Pakistan who showed great grit and determination in their chosen events.

"What I found most amazing is I saw some of the glimpses of how Chinese athletes and sportspersons have performed. I think it was a treat to watch them, that spoke to their very hard work, but also talent and resilience in the face of several pressures. But they stood out, and I think they made China proud. And I can tell you that this is also the case in Pakistan," said Hashmi.

Following the flag-hoisting ceremony, the embassy conferred civil awards to two Chinese citizens, namely Sha Zukang, former president of the China-Pakistan Friendship Association, and Nong Rong, a former Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, for their distinguished contributions in cementing China-Pakistan relations.

Beijing consumer gold market remains hot despite rising prices

2024-09-17 04:15 Last Updated At：08:17

Beijing's consumer gold market has been running hot during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, despite recent rises in the gold price on international markets.

Last week, the main contract for gold futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange (COMEX) has risen to over 2,600 U.S. dollars per ounce.

At a gold shop in Beijing's Xicheng District, the price of pure gold jewelry went up to about 737 yuan (about 104 U.S. dollars) per gram, but many shoppers are still looking to buy gold jewelry especially during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday and the end-of-summer wedding season.

"It is now more than 700 yuan (about 98.7 U.S. dollars) per gram, but when we were here about two months ago, it was only just above 600 yuan (about 84.6 U.S. dollars) per gram," said a customer.

"I'm getting married, so I came to have a look. Even if the price goes up, we still have to buy it," said another customer.

"I had nothing to do during the holidays, so I came here to take a look [at the gold jewelry]. I just bought a lucky charm bead and now I want to take a look at the bracelet," said another customer.

At the shop's gold investment counter, many consumers have been making inquiries about gold bars, which has long been considered a safe investment, although experts recommend caution in the rising gold market.

At the shop's gold investment counter, many consumers have been inquiring about gold bars, which have long been considered a safe investment. However, experts recommend caution in the rising gold market.

"Many investors will buy gold bars for medium- to long-term investment based on their expected price as part of their overall family asset allocation. We suggest that investors be more rational in their decisions," said Li Yang, a senior gold investment analyst.