Pakistan and China have reiterated the resolve to take their bilateral relations to greater heights.
The understanding was reached during bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State summit in Samarkand, on Friday.
The two leaders agreed to build a Pak-China community for shared future in the New Era.
They reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations and exchanged views on important regional and international issues of mutual interest.
This was Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s first meeting with the Chinese President since assuming office and was marked by traditional warmth and exceptional mutual trust and understanding.
In his welcoming remarks, the Chinese President described Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif as ‘a person of pragmatism and efficiency and a leader with a longstanding commitment to China-Pakistan friendship’.
Shehbaz Sharif underlined that All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership and iron-brotherhood between the two countries has always withstood the test of time.
He briefed President Xi about Pakistan’s policies for sustainable growth, industrial development, agricultural modernization and regional connectivity.
Appreciating the impact of CPEC on Pakistan’s socio-economic development, the Prime Minister reaffirmed his government’s commitment to high quality development of CPEC projects.
He commended the Chinese President’s visionary Belt and Road Initiative and Global Development Initiative for sustainable development and win-win outcomes.
Both leaders welcomed the signing of Framework Agreement on ML-1 Railway Project.
The Prime Minister thanked the government and people of China for the generous and timely support for the flood affected people in Pakistan. He said that sympathy and support from all quarters across China was touching and a true reflection of our unique friendship.
He also thanked Chinese government for support to Pakistan for its sovereignty and territorial integrity, FATF forum, COVID-19 pandemic and other areas.
Sharing views on international issues, the Prime Minister said that challenges like climate change, health pandemics and growing inequalities could only be tackled through mutual cooperation.
Highlighting the serious human rights situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Shehbaz Sharif thanked China for its principled stand on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
The Prime Minister reiterated Pakistan’s consistent and unwavering support to China on all issues of its core interest including Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
The two leaders invited each other to visit their respective countries.
