A cultural program funded by Beijing's municipal publicity department in 2018 led to journalists Yang Xiao and Li Yingwu from Beijing Youth Weekly traveling to Pakistan for 45 days. Their book recalling the experience has been published by Beijing-based publisher CITIC Press Group recently.

Journey to Pakistan records what the journalists saw and felt in seven cities in the country. The authors tried to communicate with local people, and wrote their stories to enhance public knowledge of Pakistani culture and people.

"Understanding Pakistan can help us know about the opportunities and challenges met by the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative in other countries. Moreover, the initiative requires us to enhance people-to-people ties. When we know more about each other, the initiative will play a bigger role," says Yang.