Xi calls for closer coordination with Islamabad as both countries pledge deeper bilateral cooperation.
On Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping backed Pakistan’s mediation role in negotiations between the United States and Iran and called on Islamabad to maintain close communication and coordination to promote an orderly multipolar world.
Xi met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Beijing amid uncertainty over a possible agreement in the Middle East.
“China appreciates Pakistan for actively assuming responsibilities and playing a mediation role in restoring peace in the Middle East,” Xi said, adding that both sides should coordinate to oppose unilateralism and Cold War thinking and promote a multipolar world.
The Chinese leader told Sharif that both countries should pursue higher-level and broader security cooperation and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.
For his part, the Pakistani prime minister thanked China for supporting Islamabad’s mediation efforts and said Xi’s four proposals on the situation in the Middle East are “a guide to achieving peace.”
The plan proposed by Xi in April to promote peace and stability in the region calls for respect for national sovereignty, peaceful coexistence, international law and coordination between development and security in the region.
In recent days, Pakistani officials have acted as a channel for the exchange of messages between both sides, while China has publicly expressed support for Islamabad’s “fair and balanced” mediation role.
Following reports that an agreement between the United States and Iran could be close to being finalized, Pakistan said it hopes to host new rounds of negotiations between the two sides “very soon,” following a failed initial attempt in April.
In recent weeks, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has praised Islamabad’s efforts to facilitate contacts between Washington and Tehran and has urged Pakistan to intensify its efforts to contribute to de-escalation.
During the Monday meeting, Xi also emphasized trust, understanding and support between China and Pakistan as the two countries mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Both leaders reaffirmed the “all-weather” friendship between their two countries and pledged to deepen bilateral ties through greater cooperation in agriculture, industry, artificial intelligence, and talent development, as well as within the framework of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, of which Pakistan is a member.
On Saturday, Sharif arrived in Hangzhou to begin a four-day official visit to the Asian country that coincides with Islamabad’s growing role as a mediator between Iran and the U.S.
Also since Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in India on his first official visit to the country, where he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss issues including security and the energy market.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
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