BEIJING, July 01 (APP): Senior Chinese Diplomat, Yang Jiechi in his meetings with Pakistani leadership held in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations, practical cooperation and international and regional issues of common interest, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Zhao Lijian said on Friday.
At invitation of the Government of Pakistan, Yang Jiechi Member of Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, paid an official visit to Pakistan from June 29 to 30,ť he said during his regular briefing held at the International Press Center (IPC).
He said, during the visit, Director Yang Jiechi met with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Chief of the Army Staff, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa respectively.
Zhao Lijian said that the two sides had in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations, practical cooperation and international and regional issues of common interest.
Director Yang Jiechi stressed that China always prioritizes China Pakistan relations in his neighborhood diplomacy, and is ready to further strengthen policy communication and coordination of development strategies with Pakistan, carry forward traditional friendship, enhance strategic mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, jointly build the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in a safe, smooth and high quality way and work together to build a closer China Pakistan community with a shared future in a new era.
The spokesperson informed that the Pakistani side stressed that developing relations with China serves as the cornerstone of Pakistan’s Foreign Policy.
Pakistan stands ready to work with China to deepen practical cooperation in various fields, speed up the development of CPEC and elevate all-weather strategic cooperative partnership to new height.
He said that both sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation in safeguarding and promoting regional security, stability and development as well as counterterrorism and play a positive role in regional and global peace and development.
In his remarks, Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at Institute of International Relations of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that Yang’s visit reaffirmed all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries after Shehbaz came into office.
“It proves that China-Pakistan ties won’t change along with government reshuffles and strong ties between the two nations bring regional stability and peace in the turbulent era,” Hu said.
The communication between the two countries’ leaders further deepens bilateral cooperation on CPEC, a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative, Hu noted.
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