Islamabad, 22 January 2024 (TDI): Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong paid a courtesy call to Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar earlier today.
The Prime Minister welcomed the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister as well as members of his delegation and said Pakistan deeply valued its all-weather, strategic, cooperative partnership with China.
Moreover the Prime Minister recalled his visit to Beijing for the 3rd Belt and Road Forum in October 2023. During that visit, “President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang’s warm sentiments towards Pakistan deeply touched me. I also conveyed best wishes for the Chinese leadership,” he said.
Commitment to CPEC success
The Prime Minister said Pakistan was fully committed to the success of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and stressed the need for both sides to continue to work closely to ensure timely completion of ongoing projects.
In addition to Pakistan-China relations, the regional situation also came under discussion.
The Chinese Vice Foreign Minister thanked the Prime Minister for the courtesy call and briefed him regarding various meetings held during the visit. He conveyed special greetings of the Chinese leadership to the Prime Minister. The Vice Foreign Minister said China and Pakistan were “iron-brothers”. He assured that China would always remain a reliable partner in Pakistan’s socio-economic progress.
Also Read: China-Pakistan inaugurates CPEC corner, enhance cooperation
Earlier today, Weidong also held discussions with General Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), at the General Headquarters (GHQ). The meeting centered around mutual interests and strategies to further strengthen bilateral defense cooperation between Pakistan and China, as stated by an Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) announcement.
Throughout the encounter, the Chinese diplomat emphasized the enduring and robust nature of the strategic partnership between Pakistan and China, reiterating their status as all-weather strategic partners. He commended Pakistan’s endeavors in fostering regional peace and stability, expressing China’s contentment with the security arrangements for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.
In a related development last week, Vice Foreign Minister Sun visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) where, together with Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi, they inaugurated the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Corner at the MoFA library.
Apart from the discussions on Pakistan-China relations, the meeting also delved into the regional situation. The Chinese Vice Foreign Minister expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for the courtesy call and provided a briefing on various meetings conducted during the visit.
