Family members of the diplomat from Pakistanin at the Mutianyu Great Wall. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"The attending of a New Year ceremony at the Great Wall is a fabulous experience. It takes you back to the great historical journey of the Chinese nation. The New Year sun brings new hope for peace and prosperity," said Bukhari Asghar Abbas, a military officer from the Pakistani embassy in China.

"It is a significant event for the friendship of China and Pakistan. It suggests that the two old friends begin a new chapter of friendship with the arrival of the New Year," Abbas added.