China, Pakistan discuss cooperation expansion

ISLAMABAD, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and his Pakistani counterpart held a meeting here on Friday and discussed possibilities to expand cooperation between the two countries.

At a news briefing held after their meeting in the foreign office, Pakistani Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the two sides discussed a host of issues including possibilities to expand the bilateral cooperation in various fields.

Qureshi said that the relations between Pakistan and China were time-tested and had many sound foundations.

Yang said that China would provide Pakistan 70 million RMB (around one million U.S. dollars) as technical and economic assistance and 500,000 RMB (around 71,429 U.S. dollars) for equipment for the Foreign Office of Pakistan.

Yang said that China and Pakistan enjoyed all-weather and time-tested relations and pledged to push the bilateral relations forward.

Terming Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's recent visit to China a success, Yang said the two countries agreed to increase their level of contacts and exchange of visits.

Yang thanked Pakistani government for its consistent and firm support to China on the Taiwan and Tibet issues. He also appreciated the assistance Pakistani government offered in making the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay in Islamabad a success.

Responding to a question, Yang said that Pakistan had the right to peaceful use of nuclear energy and China would continue to explore possibilities of cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Yang arrived here Friday afternoon for a two-day visit to Pakistan.