Pakistan, China ties anchor of peace, stability in region: PM Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday emphasised that Pakistan-China ties remain an anchor of peace and stability in the region and beyond, and that both countries may further deepen strategic communication and coordination to deal with the emerging challenges and threats.

He was talking to Chinese State Councillor and Minister of Defence General Wei Fenghe who called on him here. General Wei is leading a high-level delegation to Pakistan on a three-day official visit. His visit was aimed at further solidifying and expanding Pakistan-China ties.

Welcoming the Chinese defence minister’s visit to Pakistan, the prime minister underscored the importance of regular high-level exchanges, even in the time of COVID-19.

He stressed that the two countries were bound by all-weather strategic cooperative partnership based on mutual trust, understanding and commonality of views.

The prime minister said that Pakistan firmly adhered to One-China policy and supported China on issues of its core national interest.

General Wei Fenghe conveyed warm greetings of President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang to the prime minister and underscored the importance the Chinese leadership attached to China’s relations with Pakistan. The prime minister warmly reciprocated the greetings and recalled his past meetings and exchange with President Xi and Premier Li. He appreciated China’s development model that had lifted millions of people out of poverty, and added that Pakistan wished to emulate this example.

The prime minister appreciated China’s principled support on Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of India’s unilateral and illegal actions of August 05, 2019. He underlined the serious threat posed by RSS-BJP dispensation through belligerent actions, discriminatory measures against Indian minorities, and the harshest steps to curb all the freedoms of innocent Kashmiris in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).

These and other steps highlighted India’s hegemonic designs and expansionist agenda, which was imperilling peace and stability in the region, he added.

The prime minister appreciated China’s consistent support to Pakistan in pursuit of Pakistan’s national development goals. He appreciated China’s success in dealing with COVID-19 pandemic and thanked the government and people of China for extending solidarity and material support to Pakistan to manage COVID-19 pandemic.

The prime minister underscored that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a signature project of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), was transformational and stressed that the economic and social impact of CPEC on the region will be substantial and beneficial.

General Wei Fenghe underlined that Pakistan was China’s close friend, good neighbour and iron brother. Underscoring the depth and breadth of China-Pakistan ties, he conveyed Chinese leadership’s firm commitment to further strengthening China-Pakistan ties in a host of areas.

General Wei underlined that the South Asia and Arabian Sea region needed peace, stability and economic development and appreciated Pakistan’s efforts in advancing those goals. He maintained that both countries needed to make collective efforts to protect and promote their common interests.