FMs’ meetings fully demonstrate close Sino-Pak ties: Zhao Lijian

A Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said on Monday that three bilateral meetings between Chinese State Councilor Wang Yi and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in three months fully demonstrated the close ties between China and Pakistan.

“You are rightly saying that. This fully demonstrates the close ties between China and Pakistan,” Zhao Lijian said during his regular briefing while responding to a question about the meeting between Wang Yi and Bilawal Bhutto on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) council of foreign ministers meeting held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan last week.

He said that at the SCO foreign ministers meeting State Councilor Wang Yi met with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto.

The two foreign ministers had an in-depth exchange of views on deepening our all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, advancing political cooperation, pursuing high-quality Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) cooperation and stepping up cooperation in various fields, including in multilateral occasions, he added.

The spokesperson said that during the meeting, Wang Yi stressed that the Chinese side would firmly support Pakistan in safeguarding sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, supporting Pakistan in exploring a development path suiting its national conditions to realize solidarity, stability, and prosperity.

“We also support Pakistan’s role in regional, international affairs and we will have in-depth communication and jointly build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in a new era,” he added.

He said that China supported Chinese business investment in Pakistan and the Chinese side was ready to import more good quality agricultural products.

Both the countries agreed to they would resume and gradually expand air links and personnel exchanges in an orderly manner.

State Councilor Wang also stressed the need for the Pakistani side to have a speedy investigation into the April 26 terrorist attack and hold the perpetrators accountable. Foreign Minister Bilawal said that the Pakistani side would always take Pak-China all-weather strategic partnership and friendship as a cornerstone for its foreign policy and firmly stand with China in issues concerning China’s core interests and major concerns.

The Pakistani side will also advance CPEC construction to show new Pakistan speed and they will also enhance the security work for CPEC, he added.

The two foreign ministers also discussed international issues including the Afghan issue, he said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Ambassador to China, Moin ul Haque has termed the third bilateral meeting between the two foreign ministers in three months as a manifestation of the strong China-Pakistan All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership.

This is the third bilateral meeting between the two foreign ministers in three months. These frequent high-level exchanges are a manifestation of the strong China-Pakistan All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership, Ambassador Haque said in a tweet.

It may be mentioned that on May 22, the two leaders met in Guangzhou, the capital city of South China’s Guangdong Province when Foreign Minister Bhutto Zardari visited China at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

It was Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto’s first official visit abroad since assuming office in April.

During the meeting, the two leaders held in-depth discussions to further deepen all-around cooperation in areas such as energy, industry, agriculture, Information Technology and transportation infrastructure.
On May 11, Wang Yi held a meeting with Bilawal Bhutto via video link. The meeting with the Chinese foreign minister was Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto’s first official bilateral activity since taking office.