Wang Yi hails sound momentum of China-Pakistan relations

China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners and ironclad brothers, senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi said on Thursday, adding that bilateral relations have withstood the test of time and continued to maintain a sound momentum of development.

Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, made the remarks when he met with Foreign Minister of Pakistan Jalil Abbas Jilani at the third China Xizang Trans-Himalaya Forum for International Cooperation held in Nyingchi, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the launch of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), said Wang, noting the CPEC has brought tangible benefits to the economic development of Pakistan and to local people.

Wang said that China stands ready to work with Pakistan to promote high-quality development of the CPEC. 

For his part, Jilani spoke highly of fruitful results of bilateral cooperation and the CPEC, stressing that the Pakistan-China relationship has always been the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy. 

The CPEC has helped Pakistan transform its economic landscape and brought tangible benefits to the country, the foreign minister added.

He also extended congratulations on the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.