PM Shehbaz reaffirms ‘all-weather’ friendship as Chinese Communist Party minister visits Islamabad
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif underlined the need for ongoing political interaction and frequent party-to-party contacts to enhance Pakistan-China relations even further. He referred to the decades-old friendship between the two countries as a relationship based on mutual trust and common interests.
The prime minister said this while visiting a team led by Liu Haixing, minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC) who arrived in Islamabad on Monday, November 2.
Welcoming the visiting minister and his delegation, PM Shehbaz reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to its iron-clad, time-tested and All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with China. “The relationship is based on mutual trust, respect and deep-rooted bonds between the peoples of the two countries,” he said.
Prime minister highlighted the need for continuous political dialogue and institutional cooperation to keep the bilateral relations on a fast track and to take the partnership to new heights.
PM Shehbaz praised the key role of the IDCPC in developing institutional ties and fostering cooperation between political leadership of Pakistan and China.
He stressed the need for regular contacts between the ruling parties of the two nations, saying they might further cement their long-standing connection and create deeper understanding between their political institutions.
Prime Minister reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to work closely with Beijing and welcomed the shared commitment to enhance cooperation in several key sectors including trade, investment, regional connectivity, infrastructure development, information technology and modernisation of agriculture.
These areas continue to be key items in the broader cooperation agenda between the two countries with both sides wanting to intensify economic engagement and expand areas of cooperation.
Liu Haixing communicated to the prime minister the congratulations and best wishes of the Chinese leadership and reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to further deepening its age-old friendship with Pakistan.
The visiting minister said the strong momentum in high-level contacts and party-to-party interactions are important for further building the tight partnership between the two nations.
He also reaffirmed China’s commitment to continue working with Pakistan to enhance their long-time alliance and deepen cooperation through political and institutional channels.
The conference also afforded the two parties an opportunity to exchange perspectives on regional and international issues. Both sides underlined their commitment to continue tight coordination and collaboration on issues of mutual concern through bilateral engagement and multilateral fora.
The talks highlighted the two countries’ ongoing focus on political consultations and diplomatic cooperation in their efforts to improve their partnership amid changing regional and global trends.
Following the meeting, PM Shehbaz threw a banquet for Liu Haixing and the accompanying Chinese group, demonstrating the importance Pakistan attaches to its relationship with China.