Diplomatic priority: China’s Xi looks forward to visiting Pakistan

Tells Sartaj Aziz he expects to meet PM Nawaz on the sidelines of Asia Pacific meet in November

China’s President Xi Jinping has expressed an ‘earnest’ desire to visit Pakistan, the Xinhua news agency reported on Friday.

“I have been earnestly looking forward to visiting Pakistan,” the report quoted President Xi as saying during a meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 14th summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Dushanbe.

During his chat with Aziz, the Chinese president also said he expected to meet Prime Minister Nawaz in Beijing at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation conference scheduled to be held in November.

Xi said China has always seen the bilateral relations with Islamabad as a ‘diplomatic priority’, was committed to further promoting its strategic cooperative partnership with Pakistan. Calling China and Pakistan all-weather friends, he added that the two sides understand and support each other at any time.

Referring to the ongoing political crisis in Pakistan, Xi said relevant parties in the country are “absolutely capable of resolving divergence and maintaining national stability via negotiations that serve the fundamental interests of the nation and the people.”

On the recent floods across the country, he said the Chinese government has decided to offer more aid.

Aziz conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Nawaz and President Mamnoon Hussain to Xi, and thanked China for consistent understanding, support and assistance. The Pakistani government and people, he said, are eagerly anticipating a state visit by President Xi to their country at an early date. "We are convinced that the visit would inject strong impetus to our bilateral cooperation and propel our ties into a new phase," Xinhua quoted Aziz as saying.

Xi extends ‘letter of sympathy’

China’s President Xi extended a letter of sympathy and solicitude to President Mamnoon over severe floods in the country. Similar letters were also extended by China’s Premier Li Keqiang and Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Prime Minister Nawaz and Sartaj Aziz respectively, a statement issued by the Chinese embassy said.

In the letters, the Chinese leadership expressed their shock over the severe floods and extended deep condolences and sympathy on behalf of the Chinese government and people to those affected by the calamity.

"The Chinese people are standing with the Pakistani people at such a crucial moment of hardship. We are convinced that the government and people of Pakistan will be able to overcome the disaster," Xi said in the letter. He added that China stood ready to provide necessary support and assistance for the disaster relief.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 13^th, 2014.