China, Pakistan cooperation to grow further under new development, security patterns: Amb Jiang Zaidong

Islmabad: Chinese Ambassador Mr Jiang Zaidong on Sunday said that Chinese Premier Li Qiang is visiting Pakistan today and this visit can help China, Pakistan cooperation grow further if the two sides better coordinate on security and development, and ensure implementation of a new development pattern with a new security pattern.

“Our two sides must better coordinate security and development, and ensure the new development pattern with a new security pattern. We must not allow similar (terrorist) incidents to recur and delay the construction of CPEC and even the process of major China-Pakistan cooperation,” said Ambassador Jiang Zaidong in an interview with a select group of journalists here.

“I believe that not only media friends, but also the whole world pays great attention to it. I am also very happy to share some personal opinions. China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners and ironclad friends. We have just celebrated the 73rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, and have reviewed the glorious history of China and Pakistan together,” he said.

“We deeply feel that the relationship between the two countries has withstood the test and remains rock-solid. Especially President Xi Jinping made a historic visit to Pakistan in 2015, defining the positioning of China-Pakistan relations as all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, promoting China-Pakistan relations into the best period in history, and injecting strong impetus into building an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era,” he said.

Ambassador Jiang said we would like to adhere to the development direction and strategic arrangements of China-Pakistan relations determined by President Xi Jinping, further seek greater synergy in the development strategies of the two countries, to promote the high-quality CPEC cooperation, to deepen our practical cooperation in various fields, and strengthen multilateral collaboration including SCO.

“What I want to emphasize is that, this visit is the exchange of visits between our two countries’ prime ministers within just four months after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited China. This in itself, has fully reflected the great importance China attaches to the development of China-Pakistan relations and its strong support for the new government of Pakistan,” he said.

Chinese Ambassador said that he also wanted to say that during Prime Minister Shehbaz’s visit to China in June this year, President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang held meeting and talks with him, which provides important strategic guidance on the development of China-Pakistan relations under the new circumstances, and publishes a joint statement.

“President Xi Jinping pointed out that China stands ready to strengthen mutual support for each other, to tighten cooperation ties, to deepen strategic coordination, and to accelerate the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era. Premier Li Qiang said that China stands ready to work with Pakistan to carry forward traditional friendship and expand mutually beneficial cooperation, to better benefit the two peoples. This provides fundamental guidance and action plan for both sides to promote China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperation,” he said.

“We would like to cooperate with Pakistani side based on the existing achievements, promote China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership to achieve new development, and take new steps forward in building an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era,” added the Ambassador.

The Ambassador said that the SCO is the first international organization founded with Chinese participation and named after a Chinese city. Since its establishment 23 years ago, it has expanded from 6 members to a SCO “big family” consist of 26 countries, he added.

“The Shanghai Spirit has become increasingly popular among the people, and the SCO’s strength has been continuously consolidated and expanded. Especially under the new situation of accelerating changes unseen in a century, President Xi Jinping pointed out at the SCO Plus Meeting in Astana in July this year, that the SCO stands on the right side of history and on the side of fairness and justice, and is crucial to the world. He said that China supports all countries follow a development path that suits their own national conditions, strengthen unity and cooperation among Global South countries, and better safeguard their own development rights and international fairness and justice”.

The Ambassador said that unity and cooperation emphasized by President Xi Jinping is the successful experience of the SCO along the way. China and Pakistan are both members of the SCO and the Global South.