Bilawal assures China of its citizens’ security in Pakistan

FM vows to further strengthen Sino-Pak cooperation

BEIJING:

In his maiden visit to China after becoming the foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that the Sino-Pak relationship is “based on solidarity, trust, mutual respect and support”.

“The two nations enjoy a unique, unrivaled and time-tested brotherhood,” the foreign minister said while addressing a news conference alongside his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.

Bilawal extended a warm invitation to Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Yi to visit Islamabad.

The FM reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to providing safety to Chinese citizens in the country, and once again strongly condemned the Karachi University Confucius Institute terrorist attack on April 29. He also emphasised Pakistan and China’s shared commitment to stability and alleviation of poverty in the region.

Read: PM felicitates Xi Jinping on Pak-China diplomatic ties 71st anniversary

He arrived in Guangzhou, China late Saturday on his first bilateral visit at the invitation of Yi. The two-day trip is also the first in-person high-level interaction between the two countries since the establishment of Pakistan’s new government in April.

The foreign minister will hold extensive consultations with his Chinese counterpart Yi, during which they are expected to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations, with a particular focus on stronger trade and economic cooperation between Pakistan and China.

Bilawal made the announcement of his arrival on Twitter, adding that Sunday also marked the 71st anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Pakistan and China.

Fast-tracked progress on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative, will also feature in the discussions.

According to a statement issued by Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin, the two sides will also have a wide-ranging exchange of views on major regional and international issues. “As all-weather strategic cooperative partners, it is necessary for China and Pakistan to improve communication and coordination on major issues to deal with changes in the region and risks and challenges,” he added.

Read more: Bilawal’s visit to China will ‘boost ties’

The spokesperson also stated that China hoped to use this visit as an opportunity to carry on with the traditional friendship with Pakistan, consolidate strategic mutual trust and further deepen the all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership to build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future.

The statement comes just days after Chinese Premier Li Keqiang assured his Pakistani counterpart, Shehbaz Sharif, of his country’s readiness to enhance bilateral economic cooperation, expand trade and encourage greater investments from China to Pakistan, during a telephonic conversation on May 16.

In a statement on May 10, Bilawal also expressed that he sought to further strengthen Pakistan’s “all-weather strategic partnership” with China, including through the “rapid implementation” of CPEC.

The statement issued by the Foreign Office said, “Pakistan will continue efforts to enhance cooperation with China through CPEC, to advance national implementation of SDGs, in addition to participating actively in the work of the GDI Group of Friends to promote the common aspiration of a peaceful, prosperous, and shared future for all mankind.