ISLAMABAD: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said the Pakistani Army serves as the “ballast of national stability” and a staunch defender of China-Pakistan friendship and cooperation.
This was stated by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement about the meeting between Wang Yi and Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, held on August 21 in Islamabad.
“Wang Yi noted that the Pakistani army serves as the ballast of national stability and a staunch defender of China-Pakistan friendship and cooperation,” the Chinese ministry said.
The Chinese Foreign Minister said that the Pakistani military has always supported both sides in earnestly implementing the important common understandings reached by the leaders of the two countries, deepening strategic mutual trust at a higher level, and jointly building an upgraded Version 2.0 of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with high quality, making positive contributions to accelerating the building of a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ statement added.
“Wang Yi emphasised that at present, profound changes unseen in a century are accelerating, with unstable and uncertain factors significantly increasing,” it said.
“Promoting a strong China-Pakistan relationship is conducive to maintaining regional peace and stability,” Wang Yi said.
He reiterated that China has always prioritised Pakistan in its neighborhood diplomacy, and China-Pakistan relations have withstood the test of time and become even stronger.
“The two countries, both belonging to the Eastern civilization, value friendship and uphold righteousness, and have forged an unbreakable traditional friendship,” the Foreign Minister said.
“China will continue to fully support Pakistan in safeguarding its regional integrity and national security,” Wang Yi said, welcoming Islamabad’s increasing presence in global affairs.
Ironclad friend
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir said that China is Pakistan’s ironclad friend, and that the two countries have always shared weal and woe, with their strategic partnership as solid as a rock.
“Developing friendly relations with China is a consensus across Pakistani society,” he said.
He expressed sincere gratitude for China’s valuable support in the economic and social development of Pakistan over the long term.
“The Pakistani military is willing to actively promote counter-terrorism and security cooperation between the two countries, and will continue to make every effort to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, projects, and institutions in Pakistan, contributing to the consolidation and development of the all-weather friendship between Pakistan and China,” Chinese foreign ministry quoted COAS Munir as saying.
