PR No. 35 Islamabad: June 9, 2018

President Mamnoon Hussain held a bilateral meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping on 9 June 2018 at Qingdao, China. President of Pakistan is visiting China at the invitation of President Xi Jinping to participate in the 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of State Meeting. During their meeting, the two leaders held in-depth discussions related to Pakistan-China bilateral relations and regional and global issues of mutual interest. President Mamnoon Hussain congratulated President Xi Jinping on his re-election as President of People’s Republic of China and General Secretary of Communist Party of China (CPC). He also congratulated China on hosting the SCO Heads of State meeting and wished it a resounding success. He said that Pakistan supported the Chinese chairmanship of SCO and appreciated the various initiatives proposed by China in the organization during the last one year. President Xi Jinping appreciated Pakistan for its proactive participation in SCO since becoming a member. On the bilateral relations, the two leaders highlighted that as all-weather strategic cooperative partners and close friends, Pakistan and China have always stood by each other and would continue to further strengthen this time-tested relationship. They agreed to continue supporting each other on issues of core interest. Agreeing that Pakistan-China relations are a pillar of stability, the two Presidents reiterated their resolve to maintain close engagement on all issues of regional and global importance. President Xi said that China attached importance to its relations with Pakistan which would continue to remain a priority for China. Appreciating the Belt and Road Initiative and personal attention by President Xi Jinping to CPEC, President Mamnoon Hussain emphasized that as a flagship project, CPEC is a successful model of this initiative. The two leaders agreed that early completion of projects would further contribute towards economic development of Pakistan. They also agreed to explore ways to improve the balance of bilateral trade. President Xi appreciated Pakistan’s efforts in fighting terrorism and its role in peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region. The two Presidents also agreed to continue close coordination and cooperation on all issues of mutual interest. **** ?

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