China firmly supports Pakistan in maintaining security: senior diplomat

Wang Yi (2nd R), a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, meets with Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (3rd L) on the sidelines of the 59th Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Feb. 17, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)

MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- China firmly supports Pakistan in maintaining security and stability as well as achieving development and revitalization, and stands ready to provide assistance to the best of its ability to help Pakistan overcome temporary difficulties, a senior Chinese diplomat said here on Friday.

Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on the sidelines of the 59th Munich Security Conference, which opened here on Friday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners and China-Pakistan friendship is rock solid.

China is ready to work with Pakistan to implement the strategic consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and build an even closer community of shared future in the new era, he said.

Bilawal expressed satisfaction over the development of Pakistan-China relations. He stressed that China is Pakistan's all-weather friend and an important pillar of Pakistan's foreign policy is to strengthen relations with China and promote the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Pakistan will resolutely fight terrorism and spare no effort to protect the safety of Chinese enterprises and citizens in Pakistan, he said.

The two sides also exchanged views on strengthening mutual support under the current international situation.

Wang pointed out that the unintended entry of a Chinese civilian unmanned airship into U.S. airspace was due to force majeure, and this isolated, unexpected incident should have been handled calmly, rationally and professionally.

However, the U.S. side ignored the basic facts, abused force, overreacted and hyped the situation, he said, adding that this almost hysterical practice showed that the U.S. side's prejudice and ignorance of China has reached an absurd level.

China demands that the U.S. side show sincerity in solving the problem and stop doing such absurd things out of domestic political needs, Wang said.