Pakistan

When meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday, President Xi Jinping called on the two countries to continue to provide firm support for each other and deepen the synergy of their development strategies.

Noting that the two neighbors have been trustworthy strategic partners of each other despite changes in the international situation, Xi said China stands ready to work with Pakistan to promote their all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and accelerate the building of a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era.

Xi said the two countries need to give full play to the Joint Cooperation Committee on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and ensure the smooth construction and operation of major projects. Cooperation in such areas as industry, agriculture and social well-being should be expanded to add impetus to the CPEC, he added.

The president said China hopes that Pakistan will provide solid protection for the security of Chinese citizens and institutions in Pakistan as well as the lawful rights and interests of Chinese businesses.

He also called on the two sides to strengthen communication and coordination on multilateral platforms such as the United Nations to jointly voice developing countries' opposition to bloc confrontations and to uphold multilateralism.

Sharif said Pakistan firmly supports the one-China principle and opposes the attempt by certain forces to undermine China's sovereignty and interfere in its domestic affairs.