Beijing, May 22 (IANS) Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain Thursday agreed to strengthen cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts, media reported.
At a bilateral meeting, Xi said China backed Pakistan in practising a counter-terrorism strategy based on its national conditions and is willing to enhance security cooperation to safeguard the peace and stability of the two countries, Xinhua reported.
Hussain said the “East Turkistan” terrorism forces are a common enemy of Pakistan and China and vowed to make joint efforts with China to combat the terrorists.
Pakistan would take effective measures to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and projects in the country, Hussain said.
Xi hailed the recent development of China-Pakistan relations and said he was willing to pay a state visit to Pakistan at a proper time to push bilateral strategic co-ordination and pragmatic cooperation to a new stage.
Hussain said Pakistani-Chinese friendship was the foundation of Pakistani foreign relations.
Xi called on the two countries to jointly promote the construction of the China-Pakistan economic corridor, an important part of the Silk Road economic belt and the 21st century maritime Silk Road.
He urged the two sides to ensure the operation of joint projects in Pakistan’s Gwadar port and Lahore Metro.
Hailing the Pakistan-China economic corridor, Hussain said Pakistan was willing to create good conditions for projects and hoped the two sides would enhance cooperation in electricity.
The two leaders witnessed the signing of a framework agreement on the Orange Line of the Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System.
Hussain, who attended the fourth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Wednesday, praised the success of the summit, stressing that he believed that China, which held the new presidency of the CICA, would promote CICA to achieve greater development.