Presidents of neighbouring China and Iran on Sunday congratulated Asif Ali Zardari on his election as President of Pakistan.

In his message, Xi Jinping said China and Pakistan are good neighbours, friends, partners, and good brothers, Radio Pakistan reported.

He said the two countries have achieved fruitful results in the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and maintained a high level of development of bilateral relations.

The Chinese president said Beijing is ready to work with President Zardari to carry forward the traditional friendship between the two countries.

Meanwhile, President Raeesi expressed hope that during his presidency, the relations between the two countries, having historical, cultural and religious history, will be more developed and deepened than before, state-run APP reported.

“As always, and especially in the new era, the Islamic Republic of Iran declares its readiness to expand relations with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” the Iranian President stated.

The co-chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Asif Ali Zardari, the joint candidate of the six-party ruling coalition, was elected the 14th president of Pakistan on Saturday by securing 411 votes – for the second time – defeating the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC)’s candidate Mahmood Khan Achakzai who bagged only 181 votes.

Zardari, 68, who is the widower of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and father of PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, was declared elected by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) after he emerged victorious from all the four provinces, National Assembly, and Senate.

Zardari secured 255 votes while his rival Achakzai bagged 119 votes in parliament comprising National Assembly and Senate. Only one vote was rejected in parliament, declared the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Ammer Farooq, who conducted the elections as presiding officer.