ISLAMABAD   -   Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong has said that Chinese President Xi Jinping had paid a historic visit to Pakistan in April of 2015, where the two countries had established the world’s first all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, formulated the layout of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and set direction for the leapfrog development of China-Pakistan relations in the new era.

The ambassador said this in his message on the eve of the 10th anniversary of President Xi’s visit to Pakistan, commemorated by the Chinese Embassy, Islamabad, on April 20, says a press note issued by the Chinese Embassy here on Sunday.

Looking back on the past extraordinary decade, the Chinese ambassador said that the CPEC has flourished like a towering tree, the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership has shone brightly, and the two countries have jointly written a magnificent epic of iron brothers developing with common interests and shared future, the Ambassador said.

He added, “Over the past decade, we have supported and helped each other, promoting and upgrading China-Pakistan relations with high-level mutual trust.”

Friendship between China and Pakistan is based on trust and mutual support, and we have been devoted friends through both good and hard times. Our friendship is a pacesetter for amicable relations between countries, the Ambassador quoted President Xi as having said this.

“From China’s assistance in evacuating 176 Pakistani nationals from a third country in 2015 to the safe return of over 200 Pakistani citizens from a third country in 2023, from the joint fight against COVID-19 to China’s post-flood reconstruction assistance to Pakistan after the 2022 flood, we repaid kindness with greater generosity, setting a good example of international relations in the new era. Over the past decade, leaders of the two countries have maintained frequent exchanges.”

He said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited China in June last year, Premier Li Qiang visited Pakistan in October of the same year, and President Asif Ali Zardari visited China in February this year.

The political mutual trust between China and Pakistan has been continuously strengthened. President Xi Jinping held talks and meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and reached important consensus, setting the direction and injecting strong impetus for China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperation under the new circumstances.

“We are willing to work with Pakistan to fully implement the consensus reached by the two countries’ high-level leaders and transform it into solid actions and rich outcomes of the mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation, he said.

“Over the past decade, we have upheld fairness and justice while fostering shared prosperity, and achieved common development through high-level practical cooperation.”

Orange Line Metro Train runs through the thousand-year-old metropolis of Lahore. The Khunjerab Pass is open all year round. The CPEC has brought a total of $25.4 billion in direct investment, 236,000 jobs, 510 kilometers of highways, more than 8,000 megawatts of electricity and 886 kilometers of core transmission to Pakistan. China-Pakistan trade has exceeded $23 billion .

As 2025 marks the crucial year for China’s comprehensive deepening of reforms and Pakistan’s inaugural year for “Uraan Pakistan” plan, we are willing to further strengthen strategic alignment with Pakistan, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, provide new development opportunities for Pakistan with new achievements in Chinese modernization, and create a new model of South-South cooperation through extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits.

“Over the past decade, we have stood together through thick and thin, and safeguarded the steady development of our bilateral relations with high-level security cooperation,” the Ambassador said.

During President Asif Ali Zardari’s visit to China, the two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Jointly Promoting Cooperation on the Global Security Initiative, providing critical guidance for enhancing our joint response to major global and regional security challenges.

This fully demonstrates that Pakistan consistently stands with China at the forefront when implementing the major initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping.

“We stand ready to deepen security cooperation with Pakistan, continue to firmly support Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts, jointly address non-traditional security challenges such as climate change and major natural disasters, foster a secure environment for the CPEC development and practical cooperation across sectors, and provide security assurance for the enduring growth of our bilateral relations.”

“Over the past decade, we have walked hand in hand, and demonstrated our historical responsibility with high-level international coordination. President Xi Jinping stressed that China-Pakistan relations have gone well beyond the bilateral context, and in a world of profound uncertainty, both countries must stand on the right side of history to uphold true multilateralism, safeguard international equity and justice, and protect the common interests of developing countries,” said Jiang Zaidong.

“We are ready to work closely with Pakistan to adhere to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, resolutely oppose unilateralism and hegemonism, defend the common interests of developing countries, and voice our unity in defending global peace and fairness and justice.”

“By further deepening and solidifying our all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, we will accelerate the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era,” he said.