Exclusive Interview: "I'm Still a Student of China" - Chairman of the Pakistani Senate Defence Committee

　　【专访】巴基斯坦参议院国防委员会主席:我仍然是中国的学生

　　如何理解中国?如何看待广东在全球贸易中的作用?12月1日至3日，“读懂中国2023”大会在广州举行，汇聚了全球政治家和专家。我们借此机会访问了巴基斯坦参议院国防委员会主席穆沙希德·侯赛因·赛义德，听取了他对中国的看法。

　　How to understand China? How to view Guangdong's role in global trade? From December 1st to 3rd, the 2023 Understanding China Conference was held in Guangzhou, bringing together politicians and experts from around the world. On this occasion, we interviewed Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman of the Pakistani Senate Defence Committee, to hear his views on China.

　　羊城晚报:您能介绍一下自己并分享一下您的一些经历吗?

　　Yangcheng Evening News: Could you please introduce yourself and share some of your experiences?

　　侯赛因:非常感谢。很高兴来到广东省省会广州。我是巴基斯坦参议院国防委员会主席，也是巴中学会的创始主席。巴中学会是中巴两国人民最重要也是第一个交流平台。

　　Hussain: Thank you very much. I'm very happy to be in Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong Province. I'm the Chairman of the Pakistani Senate Defence Committee and also the Founding Chairman of the Pakistan-China Institute, which is the most important and first platform for exchange between the people of Pakistan and China.

　　我第一次来中国是在17岁的时候，当时我是一名学生。1972年4月，我第一次来广州参加广州春季商品交易会。在过去的半个世纪里，我见证了广东省和中国的变化。在此期间，我对中国进行了近百次访问。但我仍然是中国的学生。我向中国学习。

　　I first came to China in 1972 when I was 17 years old as a student. I came to Guangzhou to participate in the Canton Fair spring session. Over the past half century, I have witnessed the changes in Guangdong Province and China, and I have made nearly a hundred visits to China. But I'm still a student of China. I'm learning from China.

　　羊城晚报:我们了解到您曾多次来广东和广州，您对广东近年来的变化有什么印象吗?

　　Yangcheng Evening News: We understand you've visited Guangdong and Guangzhou many times over the years. What impressions do you have of the changes in Guangdong in recent years?

　　侯赛因: 1972年我第一次来到广州。就叫它canton吧，那是一个非常活跃的城市，是一个熙熙攘攘的城市，有各种各样的活动。1984年我又来了，我关注到了一个地方，一个正在发展的小渔村。这个寂静的小渔村名叫深圳，我听说中国正在进行改革开放。他们说在深圳这里会有一个经济特区，我有点惊讶，那只是一个滩涂水域和小渔村，我很好奇他们将如何建立一个经济特区?

　　Hussain: In 1972, I first came to Guangzhou, then called Canton. It was a very bustling and lively city with all kinds of activities going on. I visited again in 1984 and saw a small, quiet fishing village that was starting to develop - Shenzhen. I heard China was undergoing reform and opening up. They said there would be an economic zone in Shenzhen, which surprised me as it was just a marshland and a small fishing village. I was curious how they would establish an economic zone.

　　1993年我又去了一次。我和代表团一起来的，我很惊讶它已经开始发展了。我看到了发展，现在当我来的时候，它已经改变了。深圳转型了，广州转型了，广东省转型了，中国转型了。多么大的变化啊!

　　When I visited again in 1993 with a delegation, I was amazed at how it had started developing. I saw the progress. Now, when I come, it has completely transformed. Shenzhen transformed, Guangzhou transformed, Guangdong Province transformed, and China transformed. What immense changes!

　　羊城晚报:粤港澳大湾区要成为中国特色现代化建设的引领区。在您看来，大湾区的比较优势是什么?

　　Yangcheng Evening News: The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is envisioned to become a pioneer area for China's modernization drive with Chinese characteristics. In your view, what are the comparative advantages of the Greater Bay Area?

　　侯赛因:大湾区正在成为一个中心。这一地区正在成为创新、卓越、互联互通、投资、文化、美食和与外部世界联系的中心。

　　Hussain: The Greater Bay Area is emerging as a center. This region is becoming a center for innovation, excellence, connectivity, investment, culture, cuisine and connection with the external world.

　　所以这是一个榜样，展现了人类的创业精神如何推动它向前发展。别忘了，在这个地区的广州是一个有着近2000年历史的城市。它在历史上是通过船只和水手连接起来的。这种联系不仅仅局限在这个地区，也不仅仅是在东南亚，而且远到阿拉伯世界和非洲，很多人过去都来这里!

　　It is, therefore, an exemplar showcasing how the human spirit of enterprise drives progress. Do not forget that Guangzhou within this region has a history of nearly 2,000 years. Historically, it was connected through vessels and sailors. These links were not just limited to this region but extended to Southeast Asia and beyond, all the way to the Arab world and Africa, with many visitors in the past!

　　所以广州是全球化的一个很好的例子。我想，有成千上万的外国人住在这里。他们喜欢这里，因为气候好。有很好的制度。这是一个工作的好地方，交通连接也很好。它靠近香港，也靠近澳门，靠近东南亚南部。我从巴基斯坦坐飞机，再从伊斯兰堡到曼谷，而曼谷到广州只需要2小时20分钟。所以你看它的连接性很好。这将推动这个地区特别是东南亚的现代化和发展。我想说，在未来几年内，大湾区将成为“一带一路”倡议的重要组成部分。

　　So, Guangzhou is a very good example of globalization. I think thousands of foreigners live here because they like the climate and good system. It is a good place to work, with excellent connectivity, too. It is close to Hong Kong, close to Macao, and close to southern Southeast Asia. From Pakistan, I can fly and then take a flight from Islamabad to Bangkok, and then it is only 2 hours and 20 minutes from Bangkok to Guangzhou. So you see the excellent connectivity. This will drive modernization and development, especially in Southeast Asia. I think in the coming years, the Greater Bay Area will emerge as an important component of the Belt and Road Initiative.

　　羊城晚报:今年是“一带一路”倡议提出10周年。您如何看待中巴合作的未来?

　　Yangcheng Evening News: This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. How do you view the future of China-Pakistan cooperation?

　　侯赛因：我觉得这是一个非常历史性的时刻。我们拥有21世纪最重要的发展和外交倡议。巴基斯坦是“一带一路”倡议通过中巴经济走廊的受益者，“一带一路”为巴基斯坦在道路基础设施、瓜达港进口发展、能源基础设施、人力资源开发、农业、教育等方面带来了很多变化。

　　Hussain: I think this is a very historic moment. We have the most important development and diplomatic initiative of the 21st century. Pakistan has benefited greatly as a beneficiary of the Belt and Road Initiative through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which has brought transformational changes to infrastructure, development of Gwadar Port, energy infrastructure, human resource development, agriculture, education and other sectors in Pakistan.

　　所以我们觉得下一阶段非常重要。我们现在也会谈论中国中小企业的搬迁，特别是从广东省，因为广东省有全球主义的观点，所以广东人不仅去了香港或新加坡，他们也去菲律宾，泰国，马来西亚。他们是商人、也是企业家，还是技术工人。这是我们可以从广东省和广州学习的。因此，大湾区在共建“一带一路”中非常重要。我们现在正在关注铁路发展、农业、教育和许多其他领域。这将是新的未来。我认为中巴经济走廊和“一带一路”最好的未来尚未到来。我称之为“一带一路”的新兴全球十年。

　　Therefore, we think the next phase is very important. We will also talk about the relocation of Chinese small and medium-sized enterprises, especially from Guangdong province, because Guangdong has a global outlook. So, people from Guangdong not only went to places like Hong Kong or Singapore, but also the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia. They are businessmen, entrepreneurs as well as technicians. There is a lot to learn from Guangdong and Guangzhou. Therefore, the Greater Bay Area is very important for jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative. We are now focusing on areas like railway development, agriculture, education and many others. This will be the new future. I believe the best is yet to come for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the Belt and Road Initiative. I call it the new emerging decade of the Belt and Road Initiative globally.

　　羊城晚报:广东和巴基斯坦是否会有新的合作项目或产业?

　　Yangcheng Evening News: Will there be new cooperation projects or industries between Guangdong and Pakistan?

　　侯赛因:是的，会有，因为广东有一个非常繁荣的商业社区。繁荣的商界不是向内看，而是向外看。

　　Hussain: Yes, there will be, because Guangdong has a very vibrant business community. A vibrant business community does not look inward but outward.

　　我们相信会有教育方面的合作。你们有非常好的教育机构和渔业发展。我们也有海港和港口。我们希望通过海上丝绸之路将这些地区与广东和巴基斯坦连接起来，这就是未来的发展方向。

　　We believe there will be collaboration in education. You have very good education institutions and fisheries development. We also have harbors, we also have ports. We hope through the Maritime Silk Road to connect these areas with Guangdong and Pakistan, that's the direction of future development.