China, Pakistan eye stronger cooperation

President Xi Jinping called on Thursday for stronger strategic communication, continued traditional friendship and deeper all-around cooperation between China and Pakistan, as the two Asian neighbors marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

In a congratulatory message sent to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Xi emphasized that he attaches great importance to the development of bilateral relations and stands ready to work with Zardari to accelerate the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, so that bilateral ties bring greater benefits to the two peoples and contribute to regional peace and development.

Xi said that China and Pakistan are good friends and all-weather strategic cooperative partners, linked by mountains and rivers and sharing weal and woe.

Over the past 75 years, the friendship between the two countries has remained rock-solid and unbreakable despite changes in the international landscape, he said.

The two countries have long maintained a high level of political mutual trust, practical cooperation, security collaboration and international coordination, setting an example for state-to-state relations, Xi added.

In his congratulatory message to Xi, Zardari said the Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership has become a firm pillar of regional peace, stability and development. Pakistan highly appreciates the far-reaching global initiatives proposed by Xi and deeply values his firm commitment to deepening Pakistan-China relations, he added.

Zardari expressed Pakistan's sincere gratitude for China's firm support toward safeguarding his country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and promoting its economic and social development.

Pakistan will continue to support China on issues concerning its core interests and further elevate the Pakistan-China friendship to new heights, he said.

To mark the occasion, Premier Li Qiang exchanged congratulatory messages on Thursday with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, saying that China is ready to work with Pakistan to actively build an upgraded version of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Sharif said that Pakistan remains firmly committed to advancing high-quality CPEC development and opening up new areas of cooperation with China.

In a separate message released by the Pakistani prime minister's office to mark the anniversary, Sharif said that CPEC's next phase will place greater emphasis on "industrialization, agriculture, information technology, science and technology, green development, and stronger people-centered cooperation".

"It is encouraging to witness Pakistan-China cooperation expanding into new frontiers, including the digital economy, innovation, space cooperation, education and cultural exchanges," he added.

Sharif said that from the Karakoram Highway to cooperation in outer space, Pakistan-China friendship continues to demonstrate how enduring strategic trust can be translated into meaningful progress and shared prosperity for the two peoples.

The two countries are set for another round of high-level engagement, with Sharif set to pay an official visit to China starting Saturday, less than a month after Zardari visited China in April. In addition to Beijing, the four-day trip will also take Sharif to East China's Zhejiang province.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong said in a signed article published in the People's Daily on Thursday that frequent high-level exchanges have provided political guidance and strong momentum for the development of bilateral relations.

Beyond political engagement, he noted that high-level practical cooperation between the two countries has become a model that delivers broad benefits to the people.

China is Pakistan's largest trading partner and the second-largest destination for Pakistani exports.

According to Jiang, CPEC, a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, has garnered over $25.9 billion in direct investment and created over 260,000 jobs.

The emphasis on shared development was echoed by Pakistani Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi, who said that China's development has created wider opportunities for other developing countries, especially those in the Global South.

Hashmi said that Pakistan-China relations carry significance beyond the bilateral level, particularly at a time of growing global uncertainty.

Pakistan and China have made valuable contributions to the global system, he said, noting that the two countries "closely coordinate, communicate and consult" at the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and many other multilateral platforms.

He described China's vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity, together with the BRI and the four major global initiatives — the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative — as an action-oriented approach to addressing global challenges. These ideas, he said, reflect Chinese wisdom in a modern context and provide a comprehensive plan for a more peaceful, secure and prosperous world.