Pakistan assures China on ‘anti-terror fight’

China and Pakistan on Tuesday reiterated their resolve for mutual support in tough situations, as Chinese Vice Premier Meng Jianzhu held meetings with Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and other top government and military officials.
Prior to meeting Gilani, the Chinese vice premier had also held meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, Interior Minister Rehman Malik and General Khalid Shameem Wyne, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. During his meeting with Gilani at the Prime Minister’s House, he firmly supported Pakistan’s right to its sovereignty and territorial integrity, while urging that such a right should be respected. He lauded the Sino-Pak friendship saying, “Pakistan is the only country in the world which enjoys an all-weather friendship with China.”
Gilani reciprocated with an all-out support to China regarding its security issues. “Your friends are our friends, your enemies are our enemies and your security is our security,” he said. He was referring to the separatist Muslim fighters from the Chinese minority Uighur ethnic group, which China blamed for attacks in the ancient Silk Route city of Kashgar that left 21 dead in July. Gilani also recalled his visit to China in May and said he had held successful meetings with
the Chinese leadership on a variety of sectors including trade, communication and defence. He mentioned that business in the IT sector was increasing between the two countries and that the Pakistani software companies were earning widespread recognition in China.
He appreciated the Chinese help to Pakistan on a number of crucial occasions such as the deadly 2005 earthquake, the Attabad lake disaster in Hunza Valley, the floods of 2010 and 2011 and in rehabilitating the internally-displaced people from military operations in Swat and Malakand. The PM also insisted on enhancing contacts among the parliamentarians and people of the two countries.
The Chinese minister thanked Gilani for his praise for China and said that his country’s foreign office would be issuing a statement in support of Pakistan’s efforts to uphold its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
Jianzhu also held separate meetings with Army chief General Ashfaq Kayani and other top generals at the Army’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi in which they discussed regional security. General Kayani also thanked Jianzhu for China’s unwavering support to Pakistan. The Chinese vice premier concluded his two-day visit to Islamabad and returned with his delegation.
Earlier, the two countries also signed several agreements worth Rs 250 million on economic and technical cooperation, provision of relief goods and emergency humanitarian help, and repairs of damaged highways in Pakistan due to floods.