SUZHOU: China on Wednesday while acknowledging Pakistan's role in ensuring regional stability and fighting terrorism said it would extend full support to its "strategic partner" despite the volatile international political situation.
This was stated by Chinese State Councillor Madame Liu Yandong who met Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani soon after his arrival in Suzhou to address the inaugural session of the World Cultural Forum.
The State Councillor is a powerful position within the State Council of the People's Republic of China - the executive organ of China's central government.
A Foreign Office personnel privy to the meeting told APP that the Chinese State Minister apprised Prime Minister Gilani that China wanted to take the existing "evergreen relationship" with Pakistan to a much higher level.
"Despite volatile international political situation, China will support its strategic partner Pakistan," he quoted the State Councilor as saying.
Madame Liu Yandong also acknowledged the important role played by Pakistan in maintaining regional stability and in fighting militancy, extremism and terrorism.
She recalled the visit of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to Pakistan and said it proved to be "very useful" as it had started yielding positive results.
Prime Minister Gilani who was in Shanghai on the first leg of his four-day visit before heading to Beijing said it was the time to transfer the real spirit of friendship between the two countries to the next generations to strengthen the foundation for a long-term and durable relationship.
"Marking the 60th anniversary of Pak-China diplomatic relations, it is important to view the Sino-Pak ties in a futuristic way and to inculcate the friendly spirit of relationship to the younger generations," he said.
Prime Minister Gilani stressed developing people-to-people contacts through student and parliamentary exchange programs. He mentioned the exchange of 100-member youth delegations from both the countries and said it was helpful in educating youth about the love and affinity that existed between the two nations.
Gilani appreciated the 500 scholarships announced by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao during his recent visit to Pakistan that would be used in a three year time period.
He said 6,000 Pakistani students were getting education in different universities in China and the focus was on further taking the number to 10,000 in next few years.
The Chinese State Councillor informed the Prime Minister that the effort of organizing World Cultural Forum was to enhance not only the cultural quality of the whole Chinese nation but also to build a more prosperous and harmonious future for the entire world.
She termed Pakistan as a "cradle of culture and civilization" and said this could be used as a means to spread message of peace, love and tolerance to the international community.
Defence minister Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar, Law minister Maula Bux Chandio and Pakistan's ambassador to China Masood Khan were also present in the meeting.
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