Zardari to visit China, meet 'old friends'

ISLAMABAD:

President Asif Zardari announced that he would visit China next month to reconnect with old friends and engage in discussions aimed at further strengthening bilateral ties. He made this statement while hosting visiting Chinese Premier Li Qiang for a state luncheon at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Tuesday.

According to a press release issued by the Press Wing of the President Office, Zardari and Li reaffirmed their commitment to deepen the bilateral cooperation and stressed the need for expediting the implementation of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.

During the talks, Premier Li acknowledged the contributions of President Zardari in promoting stronger Pakistan-China relations. He highlighted that both the nations consistently supported each other, regardless of global challenges, and vowed to take the bilateral partnership to new heights.

The premier stressed the need to accelerate progress on development projects under CPEC. He assured the president of continued support from Chinese companies to invest in Pakistan. He expressed optimism that the Pakistan-China relations would continue to grow stronger in future.

The Chinese leader appreciated Pakistan's firm support for China on all its core issues, including the "One China" policy, Taiwan, Tibet, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and the South China Sea. He said that China would continue to support Pakistan's territorial integrity, sovereignty and prosperity.

Earlier, welcoming the Chinese delegation, the president emphasised that Pakistan's friendship with China remained a cornerstone of the country's foreign policy. He stressed the importance of exploring new avenues for cooperation as there was more space to expand bilateral relations.

He also underscored the need for enhancing connectivity through all-weather road networks to strengthen trade and people-to-people linkages. He said that Chinese companies should benefit from the investment opportunities in Pakistan by investing in the Pakistan Stock Exchange.

"The time is ripe to fully leverage China's economic growth, particularly through the opportunities presented by CPEC and the Gwadar Port," the press release quoted the president as saying in the meeting. He appreciated China's unwavering support on key issues of mutual importance.

The president shared that he would be visiting China in November and looked forward to reconnecting with old friends and engaging in discussions for further strengthening the bilateral ties. Zardari also condoled over the loss of two Chinese nationals in a terrorist attack in Karachi on October 6.

"The enemies of the Pakistan-China friendship are trying to undermine bilateral relations by targeting Chinese nationals and attempting to disrupt CPEC projects," the president said, adding that such malicious efforts would not succeed.

He reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to tracking down the perpetrators and ensuring they receive exemplary punishment. He assured the Chinese Premier that Pakistan would take all necessary measures to enhance the security of Chinese nationals working in the country.

Premier Li is on an official visit to Pakistan from October 14 to 17, during which he is scheduled to participate in the 23rd Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) in Islamabad on Wednesday.

During the visit, Premier Li held talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and met with President Zardari, Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, and the three services chiefs, according to a joint statement issued here on Tuesday.

The two sides had an in-depth exchange of views and reached extensive consensus on further consolidating and deepening the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership, on promoting practical cooperation in various sectors, and on issues of mutual interests, it said.

"Both sides advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and are committed to working together with all countries around the world for a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress," the statement read.

According to the joint statement, both sides agreed to strengthen the "high-level political mutual trust"; deepen the "high-level practical cooperation" and "security cooperation" and strengthen the "high-level international cooperation".

The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to an upgraded version of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and develop CPEC into a demonstration project of Belt and Road cooperation," the statement said. They agreed to build Karachi-Hyderabad section of the Mainline (ML)-1 in phases.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)