In a meeting filled with warmth and camaraderie, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed their nations' deep-rooted friendship and pledged to forge an even closer bond for the future. 🌟
On Friday, President Xi and Prime Minister Shehbaz met in Beijing to discuss the next steps in the China-Pakistan partnership. Emphasizing the 'ironclad' friendship between their countries, Xi highlighted that China and Pakistan are not just neighbors but \"good friends who share faith and righteousness,\" and \"good brothers who share weal and woe.\"
Xi praised the continuous deepening of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, noting its \"solid public support\" and \"strong internal driving force.\" He expressed China's readiness to work with Pakistan to support each other firmly, strengthen cooperation, and accelerate building a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future.
Key among their discussions was the advancement of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Xi proposed creating an upgraded version of CPEC, transforming it into a \"growth corridor, a livelihood-enhancing corridor, an innovation corridor, a green corridor, and an open corridor.\" This move aims to promote high-quality development and boost Pakistan's economic and social progress. 🚀
Shehbaz Sharif warmly appreciated China's support and initiatives. He expressed Pakistan's commitment to aligning with China's Belt and Road Initiative and learning from China's experience in governance. \"No force can stop China's development and growth, and no force can shake the ironclad friendship between Pakistan and China,\" Shehbaz declared.
He also affirmed Pakistan's unwavering support for the one-China principle, stating that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory and backing China's stance on issues concerning the Taiwan region, Xizang, Xinjiang, and the South China Sea.
The leaders discussed the importance of ensuring a safe and stable environment for cooperation. Xi expressed hope that Pakistan would ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and projects within its borders. In response, Shehbaz assured that Pakistan would \"resolutely crack down on and severely punish\" those involved in incidents threatening Chinese citizens, reaffirming their commitment to combating terrorism.
The meeting underscored a shared vision for regional peace, stability, and prosperity. Both leaders agreed to strengthen coordination within multilateral mechanisms like the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
As two nations linked by mountains and rivers, China and Pakistan are set to write a new chapter in their storied friendship. With shared goals and mutual respect, their partnership looks to pave the way for a brighter future in the region. 🌏✨
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Xi Jinping hails China-Pakistan ties in talks with Shehbaz Sharif
cgtn.com
