ISLAMABAD, FEB 16 (DNA) :President Mamnoon Hussain Thursday said that the friendship between China and Pakistan guaranteed the development and stability of the region for what China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) had emerged as a ray of hope.

The president, in his message to the Chinese people on the onset of Chinese New Year starting from Friday (February 16) aired simultaneously by Pakistan Television and China Central Television on Thursday, said besides geographical proximity, both the people of Pakistan and China were also close to each other by heart.

On behalf of the government and people of Pakistan, President Mamnoon extended his felicitations on the occasion of the wonderful cultural ceremonies of New Year.

He said Pak-China friendship was tied in a strong bond of everlasting strategic cooperation. This relationship of sincerity and love had given an ideal status to mutual cooperation and relations between the two countries.

He believed that the people to people relations as well as the cultural ties would open up new avenues for cooperation.

President Mamnoon expressed his pleasure over last year’s leading role played by China for improving international discipline. The 20th remarkable success of the Communist Party of China had an extraordinary significance in that regard because that historical instance had given a new spirit to the Chinese nation.

He said it was a fact that goals of Pakistan and China were similar for what both the countries were working jointly to promote those objectives. That was why the great project of China Pakistan Economic Corridor was in full swing and heading towards completion, he added.

He expressed his confidence that China would achieve further progress in future under the leadership of President Xi Jinping and the Communist Party of China, besides strengthening Pak-China ties.

He prayed that Pak-China friendship continued to flourish and move on from generations to generations.