Pakistan And China Agree To Strengthen Strategic Relations

Both China and Pakistan agreed that the importance of Pak-China strategic relations has greater significance among profound international and regional changes.

A 15 point joint statement was issued at the end of the maiden visit of Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to China, on the special invitation of Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, saying that Pakistan and China as all-weather strategic partners share the ironclad mutual friendship and trust, which is stability, peace, and prosperity for the region. The meeting was held in Guangzhou city of China.

The visit took place on the 71st anniversary of diplomatic ties established between Pakistan and China.

The foreign minister stated that during the wide range of talks with State Councilor Wang Yi, he discussed improved economic engagement, CPEC cooperation, industrialization, trade, investments, and issues faced by students and further added that both countries were committed to elevating their partnership to new greater heights.

Both sides reiterated strong support for each other’s interests, major concerns, practical cooperation, and commitments to strengthening strategic communication up to the top political level and building a stronger Pakistan-China community which have a shared future in a new era.

Before the foreign minister's arrival, China stated that it is hoping to use the visit of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as an opportunity to continue the traditional friendship and all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership with Pakistan and consolidate mutual strategic trust.

The Foreign Minister of Pakistan reiterated its commitment to multilateralism for stability, peace, and development of the region. In between the meeting, Bilawal tweeted that China is his second home and we have a three-generation relationship with the government and the people of China. And he looks forward to making many more firsts with China and its people.

Both sides reaffirmed that a prosperous and peaceful South Asia is the common goal of all parties. The people of the region facing challenges due to poverty, climate change, soaring prices of goods, and a global pandemic, it is very crucial to promote regional cooperation and advance the goals of stability, lasting peace, and shared prosperity by resolving all outstanding disputes.

High importance is being given to the joint statement in which Bilawal Bhutto Zardari highlighted the latest development in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Both sides emphasize a peaceful solution to the Kashmir dispute based on the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions. The foreign minister pointed out the deteriorating human rights situation in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.  

India is allowing the nonnatives to settle and trying to change the Muslim majority of the Jammu and Kashmir, he said, and also thanked China for its support to Pakistan in the Kashmir dispute.

Pakistan’s commitment to the security and safety of Chinese nationals was appreciated by China and terrorism is termed as the common enemy of humanity by both sides.

China and Pakistan will further improve their security and counter-terrorism cooperation. The terrorist attack on Karachi University Confucius Institute was once again condemned. Pakistan reaffirmed to speed up the investigation and bring the culprits to justice in the joint statement.