Islamabad, June 21st—Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, President of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Prime Minister of Pakistan, met here today with Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee.  

Shehbaz said, two weeks ago, I led a delegation to visit China and reached an important consensus with President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders on further enhancing Pakistan-China relations and building an upgraded version of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The visit was fruitful and successful. Under the wise leadership of President Xi Jinping, China has achieved remarkable development achievements. As a good friend of China, Pakistan feels truly happy about it. The Pakistani side firmly abides by the one-China principle, firmly supports China's position on core interests, including the Taiwan question and issues related to Xizang, Xinjiang, and the South China Sea, and fully supports the major propositions including the three major global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping.  

Shehbaz said, the current Pakistani government and military share the same goal of serving the Pakistani people and achieving national development. The Pakistani side hopes to learn from China's development experience to promote national transformation. The Pakistani side expresses deep condolences for the casualties of the Chinese side caused by the terrorist attack in March this year. The Pakistani government and the military have worked together, bringing the terrorists involved to justice. They will resolutely combat terrorism and take every effective measure to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel in Pakistan. The Pakistani side hopes to comprehensively strengthen cooperation with the Chinese side in various fields such as infrastructural construction, agriculture, finance, education, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges, attract more Chinese companies to invest and start businesses in Pakistan, and promote greater development of Pakistan-China relations. Despite the different opinions on many issues among Pakistani political parties, they are highly consistent in developing friendships with China and hope to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the CPC.  

Liu said, the new important consensus reached by General Secretary Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif as well as the Joint Statement issued by the two sides have provided strategic guidance for furthering the traditional friendship between China and Pakistan and deepening the all-round cooperation between the two countries, and promoted the China-Pakistan relations to a new height. The China-Pakistan friendship has become stronger over time. The Chinese side always sees the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership from a strategic and long-term perspective, and always prioritizes the relations between the two countries. The Chinese side appreciates Pakistan's adherence to the one-China principle and its firm support on issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns, and will firmly support Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity and its unity, stability, development, and prosperity. As a flagship project of the Belt and Road cooperation, the CPEC is of great significance. The Chinese side is willing to, together with the Pakistani side, strengthen anti-terrorism cooperation and expand exchanges among media, think tanks, and the youth, and enhance mutual understanding and trust between the two peoples to make China-Pakistan friendship take deeper roots among peoples, and promote the development of relations between the two countries.  

Liu said, the CPC is willing to carry out in-depth exchanges with all political parties in Pakistan, strengthen communication and mutual learning of experience in state governance and administration, make good use of platforms such as the CPEC Political Parties Joint Consultation Mechanism and the Pakistan-China Political Parties Forum, have in-depth exchanges on national development and international and regional issues of common concern, and consolidate the public opinion foundation for China-Pakistan friendship. In a world with multiple risks and challenges, the Chinese side is willing to strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation with the Pakistani side to jointly maintain regional peace, stability, development, and prosperity.  

Ishaq Dar, leader of the PML-N, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Asim Munir, Pakistani Chief of Army Staff, and main members of the Pakistani cabinet were present.