Full text of Chinese premier's interview with Pakistani media (2)

2. China and Pakistan are all-weather partners of strategic cooperation. China-Pakistan relationship is often viewed as a special one by the international media. What is your view on this relationship?

Li: China-Pakistan relationship is indeed special, because it transcends the changes of the times and politics and represents a fine example of friendly state-to-state interactions. China and Pakistan enjoy a long-standing friendship. Over the past 62 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the seed of China-Pakistan friendship sowed by Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and other leaders of the older generation, has grown into a towering tree thanks to tendering by several generations of Chinese and Pakistanis. It has withstood the test of wind and rain and grown stronger and more vibrant with luxuriant leaves.

Today, China-Pakistan relations have acquired a new dimension of the times. The establishment and deepening of China-Pakistan comprehensive strategic cooperation meets the common interests of both our peoples and enhances stability and development in our region. I wish to take this opportunity to reiterate to the Pakistani people and the international community that the new Chinese government will continue to pursue a policy of friendship with Pakistan. We will work together with Pakistan to uphold and grow China-Pakistan relations and take more pragmatic steps to bring more benefits to our two peoples. China and Pakistan should remain good, trustworthy partners and good, sincere and reliable brothers.

During this visit, the two countries will issue a joint statement on deepening China-Pakistan comprehensive strategic cooperation. It will map out a grand blueprint for the pursuit of common development by both countries. We are confident that this will instill new impetus into China-Pakistan cooperation and enable China-Pakistan relations to make greater strides forward from a new starting point.