BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping has said that his country is “ready to work with” newly elected President Asif Ali Zardari and congratulated his Pakistani counterpart on his election as 14th head of the state. In his message, President Xi said China and Pakistan are good neighbours, good friends, good partners and good brothers, adding that the two countries’ iron-clad friendship is a choice of history and a precious treasure of the two peoples, reported state-run Xinhua.
Xi noted that the two countries have in recent years maintained close high-level exchanges, supported each other on issues concerning their respective core interests and major concerns, achieved fruitful results in the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and maintained a high level of development of bilateral relations.
The world, Xi said, is confronted with accelerated changes unseen in a century, and the strategic significance of China-Pakistan relations has become more prominent.
The Chinese leader said he highly regards the development of China-Pakistan relations, and is ready to work with President Zardari to carry forward the traditional friendship between China and Pakistan.
The Chinese president also called for advancing practical cooperation in various fields, pushing for greater development of China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, accelerating the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, so as to better benefit the two peoples.
Zardari was sworn in as the country’s president earlier today at a swearing-in ceremony held at President House in Islamabad.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa administered the oath to the newly-elected head of state after he secured the top office by bagging 411 electoral votes against his rival Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) candidate Mahmood Khan Achakzai’s 181 votes.
Zardari’s victory came after he secured the backing of allies parties including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), and others.
The presidential elections saw 381 lawmakers out of 398 casting ballots in both houses of parliament. –Agencies
