Pakistani president says China ties vital

ISLAMABAD - Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday told visiting State Councilor Dai Bingguo that the Pakistan-China strategic cooperative partnership is the cornerstone of his country's foreign policy and that Pakistan is ready to provide strong support to China on all issues concerning its core interests.

Dai was on a visit to Pakistan to mark the 60th anniversary of China-Pakistan diplomatic relations and the conclusion of the China-Pakistan Friendship Year.

During the meeting, Dai said China is grateful for Pakistan's valuable support on issues concerning Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang, and China continues to firmly support Pakistan's efforts to defend its national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.