At the same time, a number of cooperation mechanisms and frameworks have been established in the fields of politics, economy, diplomacy, defense and culture. The two countries have signed a free trade agreement and the Free Trade Commission (FTC) will hold regular meetings. There are also the China-Pakistan Joint Economic Commission and the China-Pakistan Five-Year Development Plan for Cooperation on Trade and the Economy, to promote the fast and steady development of bilateral trade and economic ties.

As Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said the friendship between China and Pakistan is deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples. And it has been translated into real action.

Now, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Sino-Pakistan diplomatic relations and looking to the future, bilateral ties have vast potential for greater development.

In the near term, Prime Minister Gilani's visit and the unfolding of a series of celebratory activities will inject new vigor and vitality into the traditional friendship and further promote multi-dimensional cooperation.

The Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Good-Neighborly Relations between China and Pakistan has planned for the future direction of bilateral relations. China and Pakistan will further strengthen political relations through high-level visits, consolidate trade and technological cooperation, improve strategic coordination through defense cooperation and further deepen the friendship through people-to-people exchanges.

Consolidating and developing Sino-Pakistan friendship and cooperation is one of the priorities of China's diplomacy.

Over the years, Pakistan has made developing relations with China one of the cornerstones of its foreign policy and this has become a consensus of the government and the public in Pakistan.

We firmly believe that the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties is an opportunity to further expand the breadth and depth of pragmatic cooperation and continuously consolidate, deepen and enhance the Sino-Pakistan strategic partnership, so bilateral relations enter a new historical stage of development.

The author is a professor with the Pakistan Study Center, Fudan University.