Pakistan commends China's efforts in promoting relations with Islamic world

ISLAMABAD, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that Pakistan commended the efforts of the Chinese leadership in promoting and maintaining cordial relations with the Islamic world as it has supported them on many occasions.

Talking here to Ambassador Zhou Gang, Chinese president's special envoy to Pakistan Monday evening, Gilani said that China is a great friend of Pakistan and the relationship between the two countries is time-tested, multi-dimensional and based on solid foundations.

The prime minister expressed his satisfaction over the excellent multifaceted relations with China and said that both the countries have complete trust, mutual understanding and convergence of views on all bilateral, regional and international issues.

He emphasized the need for further enhancement in people to people contacts particularly among the parliamentarians and youth of the two countries.

Ambassador Zhou Gang conveyed profound thanks of the president and the premier of China to the government and people of Pakistan for their understanding and wholehearted support on the recent incidents in northwestern China's Xinjiang.

Gilani responded that his government fully endorsed the course of action taken by the Chinese government on Xinjiang and considered it as its duty to offer any required assistance to its closest friend.

The prime minister assured the Chinese envoy that Pakistan will continue to support China on Tibet, Taiwan and East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) issues.

Terming extremism and terrorism as the common threats to the two countries, he stressed that Pakistan will never allow its territory to be used against any country including China.

Gilani and Zhou also discussed the overall bilateral relations and the ongoing cooperation between the two countries.