KARACHI:
A top ranking Chinese official has thanked army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa for the security special measures for Chinese nationals in Pakistan and for efforts towards regional stability.
“His Excellency Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau of Central Committee of Communist Party of China (CPC) and Director of Central Committee on Foreign Affairs, called on General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), at the GHQ on Wednesday,” according to a statement issued by the military’s media wing.
Matters of mutual interest, defence collaboration, progress on CPEC and regional security were discussed during the meeting, it added. The army chief said that Pakistan values China’s role in global and regional affairs and “we look forward to enhancing our strategic partnership”.
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Gen Bajwa reiterated that Pakistan remains committed to cooperating with its international partners for peace and stability in the region.
“The visiting dignitary thanked the COAS for special measures taken for provision of safe and secure environment for Chinese personnel employed on various projects in Pakistan and efforts towards regional stability,” according to the statement. “He also assured to play his role for further improvement in diplomatic cooperation with Pakistan at all levels.”
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As Director of the Central Commission on Foreign Affairs, Yang Jiechi has a prominent role in China’s foreign relations. He has previously served as China’s Foreign Minister from 2007-13 and State Councilor from 2013-17.
In a curtain-raiser on the visit, the Foreign Office said earlier in the day that during his two-day visit, Director Yang will hold talks with the foreign minister and call on the prime minister.
It further said that Director Yang Jiechi will be accompanied by vice ministers for foreign affairs and commerce, vice chairman of China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), and deputy secretary general of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).
The visit is part of the regular high-level exchanges between Pakistan and China. Recently, these interactions included a virtual meeting between the foreign ministers on May 11, 2022; Prime Minister Shehbaz’s telephone call with Premier Li on May 16, 2022; and foreign minister’s visit to China on May 21-22, 2022.
According to the Foreign Office statement, Director Yang’s visit reflects the importance attached by Pakistan and China to further deepen their “all-weather strategic cooperative partnership”, reaffirm mutual support on issues of each other’s core interests, enhance economic engagement, explore new avenues of bilateral cooperation for betterment of the two peoples, advance high-quality development of CPEC, and coordinate positions on important regional and global issues of mutual interest.
