Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has outlined a vision for his country's self-sufficiency in agriculture, emphasizing the importance of cooperating with China to modernize Pakistan's agriculture sector.
Zardari paid a four-day visit to northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from Sept 18 to 21.
In an exclusive interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) in Urumqi, which was released on Thursday, Zardari spoke highly of China's advanced agricultural productivity as a model that Pakistan could emulate.
"We need an economical mindset, we need to let the people live and let live. So the idea should be self-sufficiency in our agriculture sector where we could know what's going to happen tomorrow. Your production per acre is much more than mine. Per hectare your results in the agriculture sector are much better than anyone else's, so we want to be complemented and helped in that sector," he said.
The president also highlighted the critical need to overhaul Pakistan's water management in the agriculture sector, pinpointing the inefficiency of traditional flood irrigation method.
"Water resources, maximum utilization of water resources. In today's times, we have flood irrigation, that's how we irrigate. One acre is 4,400 square yards. Now can you imagine that it stands in a flood irrigation, how much water it takes? Hundreds of thousands of gallons. But if the same thing was to be given in deep irrigation and better ways of water utilization, it will bring the utility of water to one third of what we are using today," Zardari said.
Pakistan seeks cooperation with China for agricultural modernization: president
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
