Beijing, Nov 3 (IANS) As a friend of India and Pakistan, China said Thursday that it will continue to support the two countries to improve relations through dialogue and cooperation.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei made the remarks after Pakistan granted the Most Favored Nation (MFN) status to India.
Both India and Pakistan were important countries in South Asia, Hong said, adding that their improving bilateral ties were vital for peace, stability and development.
Pakistan’s cabinet Wednesday approved India for MFN status. India had given Pakistan the MFN status in 1996.
India-Pakistan trade was logged at $2.5 billion in 2010-11 and the two countries are targetting to double this in the next five years.
When a country grants a foreign territory the MFN status, it signifies that import barriers would be lowered and import quotas raised for goods originating from that country.
Pakistan would now loosen import restrictions from India. At present, Islamabad allows import of only 1,946 items from New Delhi. India does not permit trade in 850 items with Pakistan.
