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Sino-Pak Relations Good Example of Peaceful Coexistence: Zhu
China Commends Most Outstanding Mothers
Visiting Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji Saturday hailed China-Pakistan relations as a "good example of peaceful coexistence between countries with different social systems."
Delivering an address at a banquet given by Pakistani President Rafiq Muhammad Tarar to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic ties between China and Pakistan, Premier Zhu said, "China and Pakistan are close neighbors linked by mountains and rivers. In the 50 years since the establishment of the diplomatic relations, successive leaders of our two countries have devoted a great deal of time and energy to fostering and developing our bilateral friendly ties."
Zhu said the late Premier Zhou Enlai of China visited Pakistan five times. As Premier Zhou said, the friendly exchanges between the two peoples date back to the dawn of history, and such friendly relations have stood the test of history.
Pakistani leaders on their part visited China many times, Zhu said. "They extolled Pakistan-China friendship as one higher than the Himalayas and deeper than the Arabic Sea," Zhu said, calling China-Pakistan friendship "a luxuriant tree with rich fruits."
Zhu said, "As an old Chinese saying goes, 'Friendship between chess playmates cannot outlast the day; friendship between winers and diners cannot outlast the month; friendship based on power and influence cannot outlast the year. Only friendship by virtue of morality and justice can last a lifetime.' This means that only friendship on strength of morality and justice is reliable and can last long."
The Chinese premier said, "for half a century, our two peoples have always supported each other and gone through thick and thin together despite the constant change of events. The Chinese people will not forget the selfless help the Pakistani government and people gave us in the early days of the People's Republic and their valuable support to us at times of our difficulties. The Chinese government and people on their part have also provided selfless help and support to Pakistan."
Zhu said the two countries have built many large projects together, including the Pakistan Heavy Electrical Complex completed in the 1960s, the Karakorum Highway constructed in the 1970s, the Muzaffargarh power plant which went into operation in the 1980s and the Chashma nuclear power plant completed not long ago. "These have become vivid symbols of our friendly cooperation, " Zhu said.
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