Pakistan-China friendship rock-solid, says Xi

Beijing: President Xi Jinping on Wednesday assured Prime Minister Imran Khan that the friendship between China and Pakistan is "unbreakable and rock-solid" despite changes in the international and regional situation.

Xi made the remarks when he met Khan at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse here, two days before he leaves for India to hold the second informal summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Xi said China is ready to work with Pakistan to forge a closer China-Pakistan community of shared future in the new era, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying.

Noting that China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners, Xi said, "No matter how the international and regional situation changes, the friendship between China and Pakistan has always been unbreakable and rock-solid, and China-Pakistan cooperation has always maintained strong vitality."

Khan's visit to China, third since he took over as Prime Minister in August last year, acquires significance as it comes ahead of President Xi's high-profile visit to India for the second informal summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Mamallapuram near Chennai on October 11 and 12.