Strategic
ties to boost global peace: PM
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD—Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Chinese President Hu Jintao
Friday vowed to enhance and further strengthen the strategic partnership
between the two countries.
Both the leaders also affirmed their resolve to promote their ties
covering the entire spectrum of their relationship including political,
security, diplomatic, defence, economic, energy, cultural and social
fields. In their one-on-one meeting at the Prime Minister’s House Friday
evening, which was later joined by the respective delegations from the
two sides, the two leaders described the flourishing and time-tested
relationship between the two countries as a model of good neighbourly
relations and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Both the leaders welcomed the signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
as well as the five-year economic cooperation programme and setting up a
joint investment company. The Prime Minister said that relations between
Pakistan and China have withstood changes in the international
environment as they are based on mutual trust, unanimity of views on
important regional and international issues, non interference in each
other’s affairs and also because they are supported by the peoples of
the two countries.
Both the leaders agreed that the cooperation between Pakistan and China
has also contributed to international peace, security and development.
Shaukat Aziz said that President Hu Jintao’s visit to Pakistan is
specially welcomed and significant as it coincides with the 55th
anniversary of the establishment of Pak-China diplomatic relations. He
said the visit has given new depth and dimension to relationship of the
two countries. The signing of 31 public and private sector agreements is
a testimony to the maturity of these relations as well as an indicator
of mutual resolve to further strengthen the strategic partnership.
The Prime Minister said that the phenomenal economic growth and
technological transformation of China is a source of strength for
Pakistan. “We take great pride in the economic accomplishments of China
and wish to develop further linkages to fully realize the tremendous
potential that our economic complementarities provide for our common
progress and prosperity”, he said. President Hu Jintao said that China
is ready to enter into a new phase of strategic cooperation in all
fields.
He said that China is proud of its friendship with Pakistan which is a
true and tested friend of his country. President Hu Jintao thanked the
Prime who as a true friend of China has worked effectively to strengthen
the relations between the two countries. “We have all-weather friendship
and all dimensional relationship which we highly cherish and will
safeguard,” he added. |
