Chinese party minister Liu Haixing meets PM Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Munir

ISLAMABAD: Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC), met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister House on Monday. Bilateral relations and the regional and global situation were discussed.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Liu Haixing appreciated the continuing high-level contacts and cooperation between the parties. He said they would further strengthen the long-standing friendship between the two countries. He conveyed the good wishes of the Chinese leadership and reaffirmed Beijing’s resolve to deepen its friendship with Pakistan.

Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan and China have a strong and tested partnership based on all-weather strategic cooperation. He said it rests on mutual trust, respect and deep people-to-people ties. He praised the role of the IDCPC in increasing institutional contacts between the political leaderships.

The Prime Minister spoke of the shared focus on expanding cooperation in trade, investment, connectivity, infrastructure development, information technology and agricultural modernisation. He later hosted a dinner in honour of the Chinese guest and his delegation.

Earlier, Liu Haixing met Chief of Defence Forces and Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at GHQ Rawalpindi. According to ISPR, matters of mutual interest, the changing regional and global security situation and bilateral relations were discussed. Both sides expressed resolve to further strengthen the partnership based on all-weather strategic cooperation.

According to ISPR, Field Marshal Munir spoke of the historic ties between the two countries. He stressed high-level contacts, strong institutional relations and more cooperation in areas of shared interest. The Chinese guest appreciated Pakistan’s role in regional peace and stability. He expressed confidence in taking the strategic partnership forward.