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Pakistan-China resolve to strengthen ties

Both allies have reached a consensus to collectively take measures to safeguard their common interests.

Pakistan and China on Saturday reaffirmed their resolve to further strengthen their strategic cooperative partnership with fresh dynamism and vitality.

Both allies have reached a consensus to collectively take measures to safeguard their common interests and “promote peace, prosperity and development in the region”.

The reiteration was made during the third session of the foreign ministers’ strategic dialogue in Chengdu, capital city of Sichuan province, China.

During their talks, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and State Councillor, Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi exchanged views on bilateral strategic, economic and security cooperation, besides other global and regional issues.

A joint press release said that both sides also discussed the Covid-19 pandemic, peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan and international and regional issues of mutual interest.

Qureshi paid a two-day visit to China on the invitation of his counterpart Wang Yi. The foreign minister was accompanied by senior officials. The visit was part of the high-level exchanges between Pakistan and China.

Stressing that peace and stability in Afghanistan was vital for socio-economic development, connectivity and prosperity in the region, both sides called on all Afghan stakeholders for comprehensive ceasefire, and work together in earnest to achieve broad-based and comprehensive, inclusive, negotiated political settlement.

Both sides reviewed with satisfaction their close cooperation in successfully controlling the spread of Covid-19, cooperation in protective and medical equipment, vaccine development and ensuring early post-pandemic economic recovery.

The Chinese side reiterated its firm support to Pakistan in safeguarding its territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence, independently choosing a development path based on its national conditions, striving for a better external security environment and playing a more constructive role on international and regional affairs.

The Pakistan side reiterated its commitment to the “One China Policy” and firm support to China on core issues of its national interest, such as Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong and South China Sea.

Both sides underscored that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has entered the new phase of high-quality development, greatly contributing to the socio-economic development in Pakistan.

“The two sides will continue to firmly advance the construction of CPEC, ensure timely completion of under-construction projects, focus on economic and social development, job creation and improvement of people’s livelihood, and further strengthen cooperation in Industrial Park, infrastructure development, science and technology, medical and health, agriculture, human resources training, with the aim to continuously unleash the great potential of CPEC to make it a hub of regional connectivity,” the joint press release added.