KARACHI: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Saturday emphasized the need to further deepen the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership, with greater focus on economic cooperation, connectivity and emerging areas of mutual interest.
He underscored the importance of expanding bilateral collaboration in trade and investment, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), agriculture, science and technology, education and people-to-people exchanges.
The Deputy Prime Minister expressed these views during a meeting with Pakistan’s Ambassador-designate to China, Ambassador Ali Asad Gilani, who called on him ahead of assuming his diplomatic assignment in Beijing, according to the Foreign Office.
Dar congratulated Ambassador-designate Gilani on his appointment and reaffirmed the special importance Pakistan attaches to its time-tested and enduring relationship with China.
Pakistan and China enjoy a longstanding strategic partnership that has steadily expanded from close political and diplomatic coordination to extensive cooperation in economic development, infrastructure, energy, defence, regional connectivity and other sectors.
CPEC remains a flagship component of bilateral economic cooperation and has played a significant role in strengthening infrastructure and energy connectivity in Pakistan. Islamabad has been seeking to broaden the next phase of cooperation towards industrialisation, agriculture, information technology, mining and other areas capable of attracting investment and generating employment.
During the meeting, Dar highlighted the need to build upon the strong foundations of the relationship by opening new avenues for cooperation, particularly in sectors offering opportunities for economic growth and technological advancement.
Greater trade and investment cooperation is also expected to remain a key priority as Pakistan seeks increased Chinese investment and wider access for Pakistani products to the Chinese market.
Cooperation in agriculture, science and technology and education has increasingly emerged as an important dimension of bilateral relations, with both countries seeking to expand institutional partnerships, technology transfer, research collaboration and exchanges among students and professionals.
The Deputy Prime Minister also appreciated Ambassador-designate Gilani’s services as Additional Secretary (Asia Pacific) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He expressed confidence that Gilani’s diplomatic experience and understanding of regional affairs would contribute to further strengthening the enduring Pakistan-China partnership during his tenure in Beijing.
Dar wished the Ambassador-designate a successful tenure and underscored the importance of maintaining the momentum of high-level engagement between the two countries.
Pakistan has consistently described its friendship with China as a cornerstone of its foreign policy, while the two countries have repeatedly reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership and advancing cooperation for shared development and regional prosperity.
