On Monday, China shared its happiness over recent ‘active interactions’ between the neighbours India and Pakistan. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian further indicated during the press conference of China’s intentions of working together with Islamabad to instill ‘positive energy’ into regional peace, development and stability.
After weeks of aggression across the Indo-Pak border, on February 25 the militaries of Pakistan and India had announced of following the ceasefire agreements strictly along The Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir and other sectors. Following that a few weeks later, Prime Minister Imran Khan and Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa called out New Delhi saying that it was time for the two nations to “bury the past and move forward”.
Zhao Lijian said, “We are happy about the active interactions between Pakistan and India”.
“We would like to work with Pakistan to inject more positive energy into regional peace and stability as well as development,” Lijian added.
Read More | Micro smart lockdowns imposed in COVID-19 hotspots
The statements came as Zhao was responding to recent statements by President Arif Alvi in his speech at Pakistan Day parade on March 25, in which he called China as Pakistan’s “closest and friendliest friend”.
Acknowledging President Alvi’s remarks, Zhao said, “China expresses warm congratulations on the 82nd Pakistan Day. We believe that Pakistani Government and people will make further progress on national building and revitalization.”
“I would like to take the opportunity of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties to work with Pakistan to fight Coronavirus and carry forward our traditional friendship to expand our all dimensional cooperation and build a closer China-Pakistan community of shared future in a new era,” he said. Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi talked to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi last week and sought China’s support in supply of Covid-19 vaccines to Pakistan. “The friendship between China and Pakistan has stood the test of time, and the two countries carry forward the good tradition of helping each other in times of difficulty,” Mr. Wang said. He further added that “to demonstrate the ironclad friendship between the two countries, China has decided to provide Pakistan with another batch of vaccines”.