BEIJING: President Asif Ali Zardari said Thursday that the bonds of Pak-China friendship were beyond the confines of time limits and the legacy of this friendship would continue to pass on from generation to generation.
The president expressed these views during his meeting with Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping at the Diaoyutai State Guest House.
Spokesperson to the President Senator Farhatullah Babar, while briefing about the meeting, said that from the onset of the meeting of the two leaders, Chinese Vice President expressed great pleasure to receive and meet President Zardari and lauded his contribution in further strengthening the equation whose foundations were laid by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
The president on his part while highlighting the Pak-China friendship conveyed to the Vice President Xi Jinping the sentiments of the people of Pakistan to see Pak-China friendship getting even stronger under Chinese leadership.
The president also extended invitation to Vice President Xi Jinping to visit Pakistan at convenient date which the latter accepted. He said that people of Pakistan greatly value the unparalleled friendship with the Chinese and appreciate in big way their assistance at every hour of distress.
President Zardari said that Pakistan wanted to transform its traditional equation with China into economic terms and wanted to learn from the Chinese experience of growth and development.
He said that the government was keen to see Chinese investors and business community playing active role in the socio-economic development of the country and getting benefit from the investment friendly opportunities offered by the Government of Pakistan.
The president said that it was heartening to see that some important developments were taking place between the two countries like the currency swap agreement, the implementation of 2nd Trade and Economic Programme, opening of Chinese banks in Pakistan and two countries entering into understandings to extend cooperation in the areas of agriculture, irrigation, infrastructure development and others.
He conveyed to the Chinese Vice President the gratitude of the people and the Government of Pakistan for China's unflinching support to Pakistan's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and its appreciation of huge sacrifices made in fighting the menace of extremism and militancy.
He said that Pakistan was making every effort to contribute its share towards promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan by lending its full support to an Afghan led national reconciliation process.
He described initiation of the China-Pakistan-Afghanistan tripartite dialogue an important development for the peace, stability and development of the region.
Chinese Vice President thanked the President saying that the Chinese people were equally eager to further strengthen the mutual equation and broaden the spectrum of mutual cooperation. He reiterated that China would continue to provide all support to the people of Pakistan.