BEIJING: China was ready to work with Pakistan, follow through on the important common understandings between the two leaders, make solid progress in comprehensive and high-level strategic cooperation in the new year, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Wednesday.
“China is also ready to stay committed to building an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, and make even greater contribution to the two peoples’ well-being and peace and development of the region and the wider world,” she said. Mao Ning said that China and Pakistan were all-weather strategic cooperative partners and iron-clad friends.
“Over the past year, our two countries have rendered each other mutual understanding and mutual support, addressed challenges together and marched forward shoulder-to-shoulder,” she added.
The spokesperson said that the two countries have strengthened high-level guidance, consolidated strategic consensus, jointly promoted the sound development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and expanded friendly exchanges and cooperation in various areas, sustaining high-quality development of bilateral relations. It may be mentioned that during a recent meeting, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong reviewed achievements of Pakistan-China relations and agreed to maintain momentum through development of high quality CPEC and stronger people-to-people exchanges. Earlier, China on Tuesday condemned fresh Covid test requirements by around a dozen countries on passengers travelling abroad from its territory, warning it could take “countermeasures” in response. The United States, Canada, France and Japan are among a number of countries that now require travellers from China to show a negative Covid test before arrival, as the country faces a surge in cases.
“Some countries have taken entry restrictions targeting only Chinese travellers,” foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular briefing. –Agencies
