YEAR OF PAKISTAN-CHINA FRIENDLY EXCHANGES. August 14, 2015 (2015-03)

Pakistan and China have an enduring, close and time-tested friendship that is unique and unprecedented in modern interstate relations. The Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership is based on mutual trust and understanding, and bilateral relations have always been high on the foreign policy agenda of both countries.

Pakistan and China have declared 2015 as the "Year of Pakistan-China Friendly Exchanges" which will further expand exchanges between Parliamentarians, think-tanks, media, youth, academics and artists of the two countries to make Pakistan-China friendship even more deeply rooted in the hearts of our peoples.

GREAT WALL OF CHINA:- The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications, construction of which began as early as the 7th century BCE The Great Wall is recognized as one of the modern wonders of the world and attracts visitors from all over the world. Pakistan's contributions toward the Government of China's efforts to renovate one section of the Great Wall were commemorated at a ceremony held in March 1989.

KARAKORUM HIGHWAY:- The Karakorum Highway (KKH) connects Pakistan and China across the Himalayan mountain range at the Khunjerab Pass. Construction of the highway began in 1959 and was completed in 1979. The KKH is the highest paved international road in the world and is also known as the Friendship Highway. The route of the KKH traces the path of the ancient Silk Road, and serves as a potent symbol of the enduring friendship between Pakistan and China.

SHALIMAR GARDENS:- The Shalimar Gardens are a Mughal-era garden complex in the historic city of Lahore, Pakistan. Construction of the Gardens began in 1641 CE and was commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan. The Shalimar Gardens, a classic example of Mughal aesthetics, were included as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981.

To mark 2015 as the Year of Friendly Exchanges between Pakistan and China, a set of five commemorative postage stamps for the denomination of Rs. 10/- is being issued by Pakistan Post on 14th August 2015,