China's Xi hails 'unbreakable' ties, praises Pakistan's role in Iran peace efforts as he meets PM Shehbaz

China’s President Xi Jinping hailed Beijing’s “unbreakable” friendship with Pakistan on Monday as he met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Beijing, seeking to deepen the “all-weather” partnership between the two countries. PM Shehbaz landed in China on Saturday on a four-day official visit, reaching Beijing yesterday after making a stop in Hangzhou. Addressing bilateral talks at the Great Hall of the People, Xi said: “China is ready to work with Pakistan to move faster to build an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, work for more results in our all-weather cooperation, […] contribute to regional peace and stability and set an example for building a community with a shared future among neighbouring countries.” Xi called PM Shehbaz an “old friend” and said the two countries had “understood, trusted and supported each other” over decades, forging an “unbreakable tradition of friendship”. “Despite international changes, China has always prioritised Pakistan relations in our neighbourhood diplomacy,” Xi said. He added that Beijing was willing to work with Islamabad to build a more close-knit China-Pakistan community with a shared future and achieve more in their “all-weather” cooperation. Xi said Pakistani students in China were “committed to be builders of cooperation, promoters of exchanges and upholders of friendship of China and Pakistan”. He added he was “truly encouraged to see that our friendship is being carried forward by the younger generation”. “Our strategic mutual trust and practical cooperation have greatly contributed to our respective development,” the Chinese president said. PM Shehbaz, in turn, called China and Pakistan two “iron brother” countries with a relationship that is “next to none”. He also hailed Xi as a “great friend of Pakistan and a great friend of peace-loving humanity”. Hailing 75 years of “glorious partnership” in diplomatic relations, the premier said, “The credit goes to our...

Original source: Dawn Pakistan