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    Folk Singer Peng Liyuan: China's First Lady To Be


    Posted on: March 4, 2013 | | 中文

    Folk Singer Peng Liyuan

    Today, March 5th, 2013, when her husband is introduced as China's new President, Peng Liyuan will not step into the public eye as just another first lady. Peng, a renowned and well loved Chinese folk singer and actress, is a celebrity in her own right. She is perhaps best known for her recurrent appearances on the National Television's New Years’ Gala, one of the country’s most widely viewed television programs.

    Yet, there is more to her than a successful singing career. She was the youngest civilian to become a major general in the People’s Liberation Army and has served as the World Health Organisation’s goodwill ambassador for HIV/Aids and tuberculosis. She was also one of the first individuals in China to acquire a Master's in conventional cultural music, when the degree was initially launched in the 1980s.

    Peng Liyuan, popularly known as "The Peony Fairy," was born in a small town in the northeastern province of Shandong. She joined the army at age 18 and has been a celebrated public icon for decades. She is best recognized for patriotic songs and ethnic-minority folk tunes, including People from Our Village, Mount Chomolungma, On the Plains of Hope, My Motherland and Embroidering the Red Flag. She and her husband have been married for over 25 years and, according to multiple accounts, it took only forty minutes for Mr Xi Jinping to decide that Peng was the lady he wanted to marry, when they were first introduced by a mutual friend in 1986.

    There has been much media speculation on Peng’s future role as the First Lady, as the country's leaders have by and large kept their wives out of the public eye since the days of Chairman Mao. Peng has also kept a low-profile since her husband’s promotion to vice-president in 2008, suspending all television performances and limiting herself to charity work. However, many in China believe that she will not just add glamour to a position kept obscure for decades but will also be a positive and dynamic female role model, a welcome addition to China’s political circles.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021