BEIJING, June 9 – Beijing and Islamabad reaffirmed their ironclad friendship on Friday, with both sides vowing to continue enhancing high-quality cooperation on joint construction of the Belt and Road and stepping up the building of a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future.
The commitments were made when President Xi Jinping met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Sharif is on a five-day official visit to China, which conclude late on Saturday.
Also on Friday, Premier Li Qiang held a grand welcoming ceremony for the Pakistani prime minister, after which they held official talks and witnessed the signing of many agreements on bilateral cooperation in the fields of communications, industry, agriculture and people’s livelihoods.
Xi, when meeting with Sharif, said that China and Pakistan are not only close neighbors connected by mountains and rivers and good friends bound by trust and righteousness, but also good partners who support each other and good brothers who share weal and woe.
He expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s long-standing and unwavering support on issues concerning China’s core interests and major concerns, saying that China will continue to firmly support Pakistan in defending its national sovereignty and territorial integrity, support Pakistan’s development path in line with its national conditions, and support the country’s fight against terrorism.
Xi said that China is willing to align the Belt and Road Initiative with the development strategies of Pakistan, focusing on the upgrade of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to jointly build five major corridors for growth, livelihood enhancement, innovation, green development and openness.
Xi expressed the hope that Pakistan will create a safe, stable and predictable business environment to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals, projects and institutions in that country.
Sharif acknowledged Xi’s exemplary leadership, praising China’s remarkable achievements in poverty alleviation, anti-corruption efforts and overall development under his visionary guidance.
The Pakistani prime minister commended Xi for his global vision, outstanding leadership and contributions to world peace through initiatives such as the BRI, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, which Sharif said have garnered widespread admiration and full support from the people of Pakistan.
He said the Pakistani government once again expresses its deep condolences over the attack on Chinese nationals at the Dasu Hydropower Project in March. Pakistan will resolutely combat and punish the terrorists involved as well as take effective measures to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals and institutions in the country, he stressed.
Sharif reaffirmed that no forces can stop China’s development and no forces can break the ironclad friendship between Pakistan and China. Pakistan is firmly committed to the one-China principle and recognizes Taiwan as an inalienable part of the Chinese territory, he said.
Pakistan will continue to firmly support China’s stance on all issues related to its core interests, such as the Taiwan question and the issues related to Xizang, Xinjiang and the South China Sea, he added.
