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Hu meets Pakistani leader on bilateral ties

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-06-15 20:55

YEKATERINBURG - Chinese President Hu Jintao on Monday held talks with his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari and the two leaders agreed to push forward the China-Pakistan Strategic Cooperative Partnership.

China and Pakistan are close neighbors and the peoples of the two countries share deep traditional friendship, Hu said during his talks with Zardari ahead of a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the Russian Ural city of Yekaterinburg.

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Pakistan is an observer nation of the group founded on June 15, 2001 which consists of Kazakhstan, China, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The China-Pakistan friendship will grow ever more solid no matter how international or domestic situations of the two countries evolve, Hu said.

The basis of the China-Pakistan Strategic Cooperative Partnership, which features all-weather friendship and all-round cooperation, is the five principles of peaceful co-existence, as well as mutual understanding, trust and support on issues concerning each other's core interests, said Hu.

Currently, the China-Pakistan Strategic Cooperative Partnership has maintained a strong momentum of development and China always considers the development of relations with Pakistan as one of its diplomatic priorities, Hu said.

China always sees its relations with Pakistan from a strategic and long-term perspective, which is a strategic decision based on stable and sustainable development of the bilateral ties, said the Chinese president.

China is ready to further push forward trade and economic cooperation with Pakistan on the basis of equality and reciprocity and common development, Hu said.

China is willing to work with Pakistan in promoting regional peace and development to ensure the well-being of both Chinese and Pakistani peoples, he said.

Meanwhile, Hu said China perfectly understood the challenges and difficulties facing the Pakistani government in settling its internally displaced civilians.

China has decided to provide 60 million yuan (about US$8.82 million) in additional aid to help the Pakistani government settle the homeless civilians, he said.

China had previously offered 1 million dollars of cash as well as materials worth 30 million yuan (about US$4.4 million) in humanitarian aid to Pakistan to help the settlement of homeless civilians.

China is willing to help the Pakistani government tackle the current challenges and maintain social stability, Hu said.

China appreciates Pakistan's support on issues concerning China's national security and core interests and is willing to work with the international community in tackling the threat and challenges of terrorism, he said.

Zardari, for his part, said he totally agreed with Hu's comments on bilateral ties and that Pakistan highly valued its historically friendly relationship with China.

Pakistan is satisfied with its cooperation with China in various fields, which has yielded fruitful achievements, and is looking forward to further cooperation with China.

The Pakistani government attaches great importance to concerns of the Chinese side and Pakistan remains firmly opposed to terrorism and is ready to strengthen anti-terrorism cooperation with all parties in reducing regional security threats and safeguard regional peace and stability, he said.