BEIJING, May 8 -- Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister General Li Shangfu met with Admiral Amjad Khan Niazi, Chief of the Naval Staff of Pakistani Navy, in Beijing on the morning of May 8.
Li said that President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to bilateral relations and had met with Pakistani prime minister three times last year. The Chinese side is willing to work with the Pakistani side to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, further strengthen high-level exchanges and strategic communication, and make the China-Pakistan relations a model for building a community of shared future for mankind.
The mil-to-mil relationship is an important part of the bilateral relations. Both sides have achieved sound cooperative results in fields of delegate exchanges, joint exercises, equipment and technology, counter-terrorism, etc., while the cooperation between the two navies is getting deeper. "The two militaries should explore new areas of exchange, spark new highlights of cooperation, continuously improve their ability to tackle various security risks and challenges, and work together to safeguard the national and regional security interests," General Li pointed out.
Niazi appreciated China's assistance to the development of the Pakistani navy. He said that the friendship between Pakistan and China has set a pattern for other countries in the world. Nowadays, maritime security is becoming more and more prominent. The Pakistani navy is willing to establish closer cooperation mechanism with the Chinese navy, continuously deepen pragmatic exchanges and cooperation, and jointly maintain regional security and stability.