ISLAMABAD, 20 MAY (DNA) – Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang on Friday extended felicitations to Pakistani government and people on the 65th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, terming Pakistan a “good neighbour, close friend, trusted partner and dear brother of China”.

In their separate messages addressed to President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on the 65th anniversary falling on May 21, the Chinese leadership said China- Pakistan relations had stood the tests of changes of international and domestic situations and made headway constantly.

President Xi Jinping said China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic partners and mentioned that in recent years, their ties had maintained strong momentum of development. “We have made positive progress in the all-round substantive cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between our two countries,” he said.

Xi Jinping said China regards Pakistan as an important partner in promoting the construction of the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’. “The construction of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will lay a solid foundation for building China-Pakistan community of shared destiny,” he said.

“I attach great importance to the China-Pakistan relations, and stand ready to work with you to create a better future,” President Xi said, wishing Pakistan prosperity and well-being of its people. Premier Li Keqiang in his message to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif termed Pakistan a “good neighbor, close friend, trusted partner and dear brother of China”.

He mentioned that over the past 65 years, both China and Pakistan had adhered to the five principles of peaceful coexistence, enjoyed political trust, carried out mutually-beneficial economic cooperation besides supporting on issues related to core interests to each other. “China has always treated and developed the China-Pakistan relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective,” he said.

Premier Li said China stands ready to work with Pakistan to expedite the construction of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and constantly promote the development of the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. He expressed confidence that China-Pakistan friendship would be carried forward from generation to generation and become even stronger with time.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in his message to Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said China and Pakistan have always enjoyed mutual understanding, respect and support from each other.

“Our two countries have established a rock-solid political mutual trust, developed all-weather friendship and carried out all- round cooperation,” he said. Wang Yi said China has always taken Pakistan as the priority of its foreign policy and expressed commitment to make unremitting efforts to promote the development of closer all- weather strategic cooperative partnership.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong in his message titled ‘China-Pakistan friendship: Common dreams, Shared destiny’ said the multi-faceted, time-tested and long-enduring China-Pakistan relationship had become a shining example for South-South cooperation and relations between countries.

“The past 65 years have witnessed that China and Pakistan always extend sincere understanding, firm support and selfless assistance to each other, in particular on the issues of core interests,” he said.

He mentioned that China-Pakistan relations had entered into the new stage of grand development with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s successful state visit to Pakistan last year.

“The relationship is featured with frequent exchange of high- level visits, enhanced strategic mutual trust, extensive and fruitful cooperation with China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as the main platform, vibrant people-to-people contacts, and much closer collaboration on international and regional issues,” he said.

The ambassador emphasized that achievements of China-Pakistan relations over the past 65 years are hard won and should be carried forward from generation to generation.

“In the days to come, we should take the consensus reached by our leaders as the guidance for our future cooperation,” he said. Wishing “China-Pakistan dosti Zindabad (long live Pak-China friendship)”, he said, “We should safeguard our common interests and realize our common dreams DNA