ISLAMABAD:
In a special letter to the new Communist leader of China Xi Jinping, President Asif Ali Zardari congratulated him over the new office and foresaw warmer future relations between the two countries.
“Having had the privilege of knowing you personally, I feel special joy in your elevation to this post”, said the president in his letter.
The president went on to underscore the amity between Pakistan and China, vesting faith that relations will grow warmer over the years.
“The Communist Party of China and Pakistan People’s Party have excellent party-to-party ties. Their relations date back to the time of Chairman Mao Zedong and Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the chief architects of Pak-China friendship. We hope to nurture this relationship and promote greater exchanges between our two parties.”
Former vice president Xi Jinping is to lead China for the next decade as Secretary General of the Central Committee of Communist Party of China, and the President of the country, replacing Hu Jintao after the historical reshuffle was finalised on November 15, 2012.
President Zardari held meetings with the Chinese leadership during June this year. The two countries agreed upon four areas of cooperation: the Tarbela-Islamabad water supply, desilting of canals in Sindh, a special economic zone in Zulfikarabad and a flats project based in Islamabad.
“I was deeply impressed by your vision fortifying Pak-China relations in our meeting in June this year. I am confident that this bond of friendship will be further strengthened and our relations raised to a new high,” said the letter.
“I assure you of my full support in promoting relations between our two countries,” concluded President Zardari.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2012.
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