President Xi meets Pakistani army chief

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Qamar Javed Bajwa in Beijing Wednesday, calling on the two countries to firmly support each other on issues concerning their respective core interests.

Noting the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and that the two countries are “iron friends,” Xi said the two sides have been keeping “highly aligned” with each other on major international and regional issues. China always places a high premium on China-Pakistan relations, Xi said, adding that the two sides had maintained a high level of mutual trust on issues of each other’s major concerns.

During the meeting, Xi expressed appreciation for the support and security safeguard provided by the Pakistani side for the Belt and Road initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) construction. “As long as high-degree mutual trust and concrete measures are in place, the CPEC construction will succeed and deliver benefits to people of the two countries.”

The two countries’ militaries should further deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields and at all levels, take resolute measures against terrorist forces, make efforts to ensure the security of the CPEC construction, Xi said.

Bajwa said the Pakistani side resolutely supports the Belt and Road initiative, and Pakistan always places relations with China at a primary strategic position in developing foreign relations and always sides with China on issues involving each other’s core interests.

He said Pakistan is willing to strengthen strategic communication, practical exchanges and counter-terrorism cooperation with the Chinese military.