China always stands by Pakistan in challenging times: Pakistani lower house deputy speaker

Deputy Speaker of Pakistan's National Assembly, or the lower house of the country's parliament Qasim Khan Suri (1st L) addresses the closing session of a seminar in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan on July 8, 2021. Held by the Pakistani think-tank Pakistan-China Institute, a two-day seminar related to the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Pakistan was concluded here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

ISLAMABAD, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Deputy Speaker of Pakistan's National Assembly, or the lower house of the country's parliament Qasim Khan Suri said here on Thursday that China has always stood by Pakistan in the most challenging times throughout the 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

"China has always supported Pakistan over issues pertaining to its core interests and the deep-rooted friendship between the two countries is based on the principles of integrity and non-interference in each other's internal affairs," Suri said while addressing the closing session of a seminar related to the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Pakistan.

The closing session of the two-day seminar held by the Pakistani think-tank Pakistan-China Institute, was also attended by Pakistan's Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam, Chairman of Pakistani Senate's Defense Committee Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed and Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong.

Hailing China's unmatched record of poverty reduction over the last decades, the deputy speaker said that the world has a lot to learn from China as the country under the wise and strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, has secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty.

"Pakistan has been following the footsteps of China to bring socio-economic changes in the country and improve the lives of common people...and China has been helping us in this regard," he said.

Suri said a number of development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) are being implemented across the country, which will greatly benefit Pakistan and beyond.

"CPEC is a harbinger of economic prosperity and regional peace. CPEC projects will play vital role in creating progressive environment, giving impetus to national economy, and bringing favorable change in the lives of common people in Pakistan," he added.

On the occasion, Nong said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, equality, mutual respect and mutual assistance have remained the "core values" in the bilateral ties, adding that the two countries have always firmly supported each other on issues concerning their respective core interests and major concerns.

"China will uphold the principles of mutual benefit and win-win, openness and inclusiveness, to cooperate with Pakistan to promote CPEC construction with high quality, to help Pakistan advance industrialization, urbanization and digitization, and realize the vision of 'Naya (New) Pakistan' at an early date," he said.

During the seminar which started on Wednesday, experts, scholars, businessmen from both China and Pakistan discussed bilateral relations, economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and the regional situation.