Pakistan, China stand together to safeguard common interests: Chinese Vice FM
- Says China would continue its support to Pakistan against any threat of terrorism
- Foreign Secretary says CPEC remained foremost in all-weather Sino-Pak strategic cooperative relationship
ISLAMABAD:
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong on Saturday said Pakistan and China
stood together to safeguard their common interests and would continue to
support each other on issues of significance.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong was speaking at
the inauguration of a photo exhibition and CPEC library at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs here. He said China would continue its support to Pakistan
against any threat of terrorism.
The minister said that as iron brother and trusted friend,
China attached special importance to Pakistan in its foreign policy and looked forward to further strengthening
strategic ties between the two countries.
Pakistan’s support to China
Thanking Pakistan’s support to China on its core issues, he
reaffirmed China’s support for Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity
and for its economic development, progress and prosperity.
He appreciated Pakistan for its support for the One China
principle, adding friendship of the two countries was time-tested and had
across-the-board support among their people. He said he had brought books from
China for the CPEC library including books written by President Xi Jinping on
governance and the ancient Chinese culture.
Sharing memories of his stay in Pakistan as ambassador in
the last decade, he said the library was a reminder of the strength of the
strategic partnership which was manifested through the CPEC projects. The CPEC
project was inaugurated by the Chinese President along with the leadership of
Pakistan in 2015, he recalled, adding the leadership launched projects across
Pakistan by signing more than 50 agreements.
The Chinese minister expressed his happiness over the
completion of various projects under CPEC including highways, power plants and
industrial parks, saying it was all made possible due to the strategic guidance
of the leadership. He said the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by China was
undertaken to bring shared prosperity to humanity.
“Through BRI, China envisioned to
bring the countries together to face the current economic challenges and to
turn challenges into opportunities,” he stressed. The deputy foreign minister
had arrived in Islamabad to attend the CPEC Joint Working Group meeting on
Sunday.
In his remarks, Foreign
Secretary Syrus Sajjad Qazi said CPEC remained foremost in the all-weather
strategic cooperative relationship of Pakistan and China.
Pakistan-China friendship
Welcoming Vice
Foreign Minister Sun to Pakistan, the Foreign Secretary said that the
Pakistan-China friendship enjoyed complete political, institutional and public
support in Pakistan. Underscoring the salience of bilateral friendship for
regional peace and stability, he expressed Pakistan’s readiness to further
expand and strengthen bilateral ties in all areas of cooperation.
He said the China-Pakistan relationship was exemplified by
commonality of interests. He invited other countries to invest in the industry,
agriculture, science and technology projects under the CPEC. The CPEC project
was a tribute to the wisdom of leaders of different generations who contributed
to strengthening of bilateral ties between Pakistan and China, he remarked.
The shared vision of CPEC was meant to bring economic
prosperity, regional connectivity and industrial growth, the Secretary added.
Later, the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister and Foreign Secretary inaugurated the
CPEC library and exhibition.
Photos of various CPEC projects including Friendship
Hospital, Vocational School and International Airport in Gwadar and East Bay
expressway were put on display. The East Bay expressway in the Gwadar region
was an important infrastructure project connecting the port and free industrial
zone with the national highway network.
Chinese Vice FM arrives in Islamabad
for key CPEC meeting
Earlier, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister (FM) Sun Weidong
arrived in Pakistan on Saturday to participate in the fourth meeting of the
CPEC-Joint Working Group on International Cooperation and Coordination
scheduled to be held here in Islamabad tomorrow (Sunday).
Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi will co-chair
the meeting with the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister, according to a Radio
Pakistan’s report.
Additionally, Sun Weidong is expected to meet with the
senior leadership of the country.
Comments
Post a Comment