China expects closer ties with Pakistan

QINGDAO - China is willing to intensify high-level contact and strategic communication with Pakistan, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Saturday while meeting his Pakistani counterpart Mamnoon Hussain.

"The China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperation is not only the shared asset of the two countries, but also offers a model for building a new type of international relations," Xi said.

Hussain is in the coastal Chinese city of Qingdao to attend the 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit. Xi congratulated Pakistan on its participation in the summit as a full member for the first time.

China will steadily promote the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) construction, and strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas such as energy and transportation infrastructure under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

China also expects to enhance its anti-terrorism cooperation with Pakistan, Xi said.

He stressed that China would continue to support Pakistan in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and support Pakistan to choose its own development path.

"China and Pakistan will always support each other on issues involving each other's core interests, and safeguard common interests of the two countries as well as other developing countries," Xi said.

Hussain said that China is a reliable friend and steady partner of Pakistan, and relations between the two countries are unshakable.

Pakistan would adhere to one-China policy and support China's core interests, he said.

Pakistan is willing to maintain high-level contact with China, deepen their cooperation in such terms as economy and trade, and security, push ahead with the construction of CPEC, and enhance coordination on global and regional affairs, Hussain said.

"Pakistan supports China to play a bigger role in international affairs, which is important to maintaining global security and stability," he added.