Pakistan, China have everlasting friendly relations: President

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain on Friday said Pakistan and China had everlasting friendly relations, which were also the basis of the country's foreign policy.

The president said this while talking to Lieutenant General Ding Laihang, Commander People’s Liberation Army Air Force of China, who called on him here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

The president earlier also conferred Nishan-i-Imtiaz upon him during a special investiture ceremony at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, Chinese Ambassador Yao Jiang and senior officials were present on the occasion.

The president stated that defence relations between Pakistan and China were the guarantee of peace and stability in the region. He appreciated the efforts of Chinese authorities for successfully holding the joint exercises of the air forces of Pakistan and China and hoped that such exercises would also be held in future.

He thanked the Chinese government and Commander of its Air Force for providing quality support to the Pakistan Air Force. He emphasized that Pakistan fully supported the One Belt One Road project of China. Pakistan also supported China on the issues related to Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang and South China Sea, he added. He thanked the Chinese government for its support to Pakistan on the regional and security issues.

The president also expressed satisfaction over the progress of different projects under China Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC). He underlined that frequent exchange of high level delegations between the two countries should continue to further enhance the bilateral relations.

Commander People’s Liberation Army Air Force Lieutenant General Ding Laihang thanked the president and the Government of Pakistan and resolved that he would continue to play his role towards promoting relations between the two countries.