China defence minister meets Pak PM, president

BEIJING: Chinese defence minister Wei Fenghe met the Pakistani leadership in Islamabad on Tuesday, a day after meeting Nepalese leaders in Kathmandu.

Pakistani president Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan met with Wei, according to a statement by the Chinese defence ministry.

Noting that Pakistan and China are “dear brothers” and partners with a long friendship, Alvi said Pakistan will continue to support China on issues related to the South China Sea, Taiwan, Xinjiang, and Tibet, and his country hopes to work with China to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the construction of Pakistan-China Economic Corridor.

China’s success in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic is unparalleled and its efforts in poverty alleviation are unprecedented in human history, said the prime minister. He said the two countries should forge more comprehensive and closer strategic cooperation so as to lift the “Iron Brothers” ties to a new height.

For his part, Wei said the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership was unique in the world.

Under the leaderships of the two countries, said Wei, both sides have strengthened cooperation in various aspects and firmly supported each other on issues involving their core interests. China is willing to improve strategic communication with Pakistan in order to lift the relationship between the two militaries to a higher level. China, in the meantime, is keen to jointly cope with risks and challenges with Pakistan, firmly safeguard the sovereignty and security interests of both countries and maintain regional peace, he said.

Wei also met with Pakistan’s chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Nadeem Raza and Chief of Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, exchanging opinions on the international and regional situation, bilateral state and military relations and cooperation in defence equipment and technology.