Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China on Thursday held Second Round of Bilateral Political Consultations wherein the two sides reaffirmed their resolve to take relevant measures to support economic recovery in the aftermath of COVID-19 and to deepen bilateral co-operation in the health sector. The bilateral consultation was held between Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood and Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui via video-link, a Foreign Office press release said. During the consultations, a wide range of issues were discussed, including Pakistan-China bilateral ties, regional security situation, deepening co-operation in the wake of COVID-19, China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and further solidifying bilateral economic cooperation.
The foreign secretary emphasized that Pakistan and China were ‘All-Weather Strategic Co-operative Partners’ and were committed to promote peace, development, and stability in the region based on the principles of respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, win-win cooperation and shared development.
He reaffirmed that Pakistan remained firmly committed to ‘One-China policy’ and fully supported China on its issues of core national interest, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang. Supporting ‘One Country Two Systems’, Pakistan reiterated that affairs of Hong Kong were China’s internal matter.
The foreign secretary underscored that Pakistan was grateful to the government and people of China for extending solidarity and material support in the wake of spread of COVID-19 in the country.
