Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Zhang Chunxiang on Thursday received "Hilal-i-Pakistan," the country's highest civil award.

Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf decorated Zhang with the civil award at the presidential Aiwan-e-Sadr at a ceremony marking the Pakistan Day.

Zhang has worked in Pakistan for over 23 years in various capacities. During his current assignment as the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, he made an outstanding contribution to promoting friendly relations between the two countries.

Zhang is the first incumbent Chinese ambassador to have received the "Hilal-i-Pakistan." After the ceremony, Zhang told Xinhua that the award was not only his personal honor but also an honor for his country. He said that the award reflected the long- tested brotherly friendship between China and Pakistan.

A total of 99 military and civil awards have been conferred to outstanding individuals in Pakistan this year, including Zhang and Ali Muhammad Al-Shamsi, ambassador of the United Arab Emirates ( UAE), who are the only foreigners.

Source: Xinhua