Chinese premier holds talks with Pakistani PM

Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is on an official visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, June 7, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held talks in Beijing on Friday, agreeing to enhance the all-weather, strategic cooperative partnership to achieve more fruitful results.

Li said that China has always prioritized Pakistan in its neighborhood diplomacy and stands ready to work with Pakistan to carry forward their traditional friendship, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and accelerate the construction of a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era to bring greater benefits to the two peoples.

China firmly supports Pakistan in safeguarding its national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and in achieving unity, stability, security and prosperity, the premier said.

He said China is willing to work with Pakistan to enhance the synergy of their development strategies, focus on upgrading the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), advance key projects, expand trade and investment cooperation to promote common development, and deepen cooperation on industry, agriculture, aerospace, information technology, ecology and environmental protection.

He noted that China is willing to import more quality products from Pakistan and supports competent Chinese enterprises to invest in Pakistan.

China will continue to support Pakistan in improving its people's livelihoods and its post-disaster reconstruction, and will carry out exchanges and cooperation with Pakistan in the fields of culture, tourism, local governments and think tanks, so that the China-Pakistan friendship will enjoy greater support among the people, Li said.

China is willing to strengthen bilateral and multilateral counterterrorism and security cooperation with Pakistan, and will support Pakistan in strengthening its counterterrorism capacity-building. It is hoped that Pakistan will continue to resolutely ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan, he added.

China has been Pakistan's most reliable partner, Shehbaz said, expressing gratitude to China for its significant contributions to Pakistan's economic and social development.

Pakistan firmly supports China's position on issues related to Taiwan, Xizang, Xinjiang, Hong Kong and the South China Sea, and supports China in safeguarding its national sovereignty and territorial integrity, Shehbaz said.

The prime minister noted that Pakistan is willing to work with China to advance the construction of the CPEC under the framework of the Belt and Road cooperation, and strengthen exchange and cooperation in such fields as the economy, trade, investment, agriculture and culture, hoping for more fruitful results from the all-weather, strategic cooperative partnership between Pakistan and China, and from the construction of a Pakistan-China community with a shared future.

Expressing grief over the killing of the Chinese citizens in a terrorist attack at the Dasu Hydropower Station, Shehbaz said Pakistan will use all its strength to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and institutions in Pakistan, and resolutely defeat any attempt that undermines the Pakistan-China friendship.

After their talks, Premier Li and Prime Minister Shehbaz attended a signing ceremony for a number of bilateral cooperation documents in such fields as transport, industry, agriculture, market regulation, livelihoods, capacity-building, and film and television.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is on an official visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, June 7, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]