Islamabad : Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif has reassured China that its military will ensure a secure environment for the timely completion of the multi-billion-dollar network of roads and rails connecting the Gwadar deep seaport with Xinjiang.
The army chief met Zhang Chunxian, Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) at the GHQ yesterday where the assurance was given, reports the Express Tribune.
In the meeting, issues of mutual interest, regional stability and measures to enhance bilateral defence and security collaboration were discussed.
Acknowledging and appreciating Pakistan’s efforts against terrorism and its success in the ongoing Zarb-e-Azb operation, Zhang underlined the importance of CPEC and said that the multi-billion-dollar project would have significant long-term impact on the region.
Zhang, along with the secretary (CPC) Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, had also met Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz.
The two sides discussed a wide range of bilateral issues including trade, investment, economic cooperation.
In the meeting, Aziz emphasised that friendship with China was the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy.
Zhang thanking Aziz for the warm hospitality said that Pakistan and China were ‘iron brothers’ joined by land, mountains and rivers. (ANI)