BEIJING - Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Sultan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah in Beijing on Thursday.
During his meeting with the Pakistani leader, Li noted that bilateral cooperation is expanding in scope and achieving more and more positive results. He said the ironclad friendship between the two sides has been renewed and deepened.
Li added that China stands ready to work with Pakistan to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, maintain close high-level exchanges, continue to carry forward the traditional friendship, firmly support each other on issues concerning core interests and major concerns, push forward the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between China and Pakistan, and make the building of a China-Pakistan community with a shared future more beneficial to the two peoples.
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Li also noted that China is ready to forge synergy between the development strategies of the two countries, jointly promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, advance the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, push forward construction of major projects concerning roads, railways and ports in an orderly manner, deepen cooperation in terms of agriculture, mining, new energy information technology and artificial intelligence, expand sub-national cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, and better promote the common development of the two countries.
China is willing to further deepen security cooperation with Pakistan and hopes that Pakistan can earnestly guarantee the safety of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan, Li said.
Zardari said that Pakistan and China have always supported and helped each other in the changing international situation, adding that mutual trust and friendship between the two countries have been passed down from generation to generation.
Pakistan cherishes the bilateral friendship with China and is ready to join hands with China to further deepen exchanges and cooperation in trade, investment and other fields, and to achieve common prosperity, he said.
Pakistan welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Pakistan, and will do its utmost to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan, Zardari added.
Meeting with Sultan of Brunei
The Chinese premier also met with Sultan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, who is on a state visit to China, in Beijing on Thursday.
In recent years, under the strategic leadership of the two heads of state, China and Brunei have steadily advanced their relationship, with cooperation in various fields expanding significantly and yielding fruitful results, Li said.
China has always regarded Brunei as an important partner in its quest for deepening friendly relations with its neighbors, Li noted, adding that China is willing to work with Brunei to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, maintain high-level exchanges, strengthen political mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, and jointly promote development and prosperity, bringing better benefits to the people of both countries.
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China is ready to work with Brunei to upgrade economic and trade cooperation, and grasp the renewal of the Belt and Road cooperation plan as an opportunity to speed up the construction of key projects. China is also ready to work with Brunei to strengthen cooperation concerning the information industry, scientific and technological innovation, green development, agriculture and other fields, and jointly foster new economic drivers, Li noted.
China, in addition, is ready to import more high-quality agricultural and aquatic products from Brunei and encourage qualified Chinese enterprises to invest in Brunei, Li said, while adding that China hopes the Brunei side will provide more support and facilitation for Chinese companies.
China firmly supports ASEAN in strengthening unity and strategic autonomy and is willing to work together with all ASEAN member states, including Brunei, to promote the establishment of a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future, Li said.
Brunei highly values its relationship with China, firmly adheres to the one-China policy, regards China as a key partner, and is willing to expand cooperation with China in areas such as trade, petrochemicals, digital economy and agriculture, and in addressing climate change, Hassanal stressed.
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Brunei is ready to deepen cooperation within the framework of ASEAN-China relations, strengthen regional connectivity and people-to-people exchanges, promote the development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between ASEAN and China, and foster regional peace, stability and prosperity, Hassanal said.
Brunei appreciates China's important role in international and regional affairs and supports China's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), he added.