China's top diplomat meets Pakistani army chief

BEIJING, July 24 (Xinhua) -- China's top diplomat Wang Yi met with Pakistani Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir here on Thursday.

Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, said the Pakistani military stands as a staunch defender of national interests and a firm supporter of the China-Pakistan friendship, expressing expectations for the Pakistani military's continued contributions to bilateral relations.

China and Pakistan have extended unwavering mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests, Wang said, noting that China stands ready to work with Pakistan in implementing the important consensus reached by the leaders of two countries and further deepening the all-weather strategic cooperation to deliver greater benefits to the two peoples and contribute to regional peace and stability.

"China supports Pakistan's resolute efforts to combat terrorism in all forms and hopes the Pakistani military will continue to make all-out efforts to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan," Wang said.

Munir said developing friendly cooperation with China is a consensus of the entire Pakistani society, and that Pakistan sincerely appreciates China's longstanding support for its socio-economic development.

The Pakistani military will continue taking all necessary measures to safeguard the safety of Chinese personnel, projects, and institutions within its territory, and stands ready to actively strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation between the two countries, he said. Enditem