Pak, China sign agreements to further strengthen ‘iron-clad friendship’

PTI, Mar 22, 2022, 12:10 PM IST

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi discussed ways to further strengthen the ”iron-clad friendship” between the two countries as the two sides signed five agreements to deepen their bilateral cooperation in various fields, the Foreign Office said on Tuesday.

The agreements were inked in Islamabad on Monday after the meeting between Qureshi and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang.

Wang is in Islamabad to attend the 48th session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Council of Foreign Ministers (OIC-CFM) as a special guest at the invitation of Qureshi.

Qureshi and Wang reaffirmed the resolve to sustain and build upon the current momentum of bilateral relations, the Foreign Office said in a statement.

The two ministers exchanged views on bilateral strategic, economic and security cooperation, COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing situation in Ukraine and regional and international issues of mutual interest.

“Ways to further strengthen the iron-clad friendship between the two countries were discussed,” the statement said.

Five agreements were signed after the meeting, it said.

The first agreement was signed between the Ministry of Education of China and the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan on ”Mutual Recognition of Higher Education Certificates and Degrees”.

The two sides also signed a Memorandum of Understanding between China International Development Cooperation Agency and Pakistan Ministry of Economic Affairs on the “Project of China-Pakistan Joint Research Centre (CPJRC) on Earth Sciences”.

Three separate Letter of Exchange (LOE) for agricultural equipment and materials; for joint agricultural technology laboratory equipment and materials; and for agricultural demonstration station equipment and materials were also inked.

Qureshi also emphasised that both countries must continue deeper engagement to promote peace, and stability in Afghanistan and avert the humanitarian crisis there.