Xi meets Pakistani prime minister

BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif here on Tuesday.

Xi said that as global changes unseen in a century are unfolding at a quicker pace, a strong China-Pakistan relationship is conducive to safeguarding regional peace and development. The two sides should accelerate building an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, to bring more benefits to the two peoples and set up a model for the broader neighborhood.

China stands ready to work with Pakistan to build upgraded versions of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement, and hopes Pakistan will take effective measures to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan, Xi said.

Sharif said the Global Governance Initiative proposed by President Xi is of great significance for world peace, development and stability, and Pakistan will give it full support and work actively to implement it.

Pakistan firmly sticks to the one-China principle, and looks forward to further strengthening friendship between the two countries and advancing cooperation in all fields, said Sharif, promising to spare no effort in ensuring the safety of all Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan.