Ishaq Dar vows to strengthen Pakistan-China ties further at Islamabad symposium

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar has said that Pakistan remains committed to strengthening its partnership with China through continued political contacts and institutional cooperation. He was addressing a symposium in Islamabad on Monday.

Ishaq Dar stressed the need for more exchanges between think tanks, universities and other institutions of the two countries, especially in the fields of governance, poverty reduction and development planning. He said it was necessary to involve young people to carry the tradition of friendship forward.

He said the two countries were marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. He said the relationship had become an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership based on mutual trust, respect and cooperation.

The Deputy Prime Minister said broad political consensus within Pakistan in support of ties with China was the main strength of the relationship. He said Pakistan-China friendship was a source of peace and stability in the region and beyond.

He praised China’s remarkable progress. He said Pakistan had taken important steps towards economic self-reliance and stability and was now moving towards the next phase of economic stabilisation. He said these gains rested on governance reforms, including macroeconomic discipline, modernisation of institutions, digital tax administration and simpler regulations.

Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, also addressed the symposium.