ISLAMABAD: China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday said Beijing wasattending the 48th meeting of OIC’s Council of Foreign Ministers —scheduled to take place March 22-23 — for developing a partnership with theMuslim world besides promoting unity and cooperation for themultilateralism.
The Chinese foreign minister, after his bilateral meeting with ForeignMinister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, told journalists that the CFM’s theme of“Building Partnerships for Unity, Justice, and Development” had greatsignificance in the current scenario — and was also the main purpose ofChinese participation.
In what FM Qureshi described as a “very comprehensive and detailedmeeting,” the two foreign ministers discussed bilateral cooperation,regional situation as well as international issues including Afghanistanand Ukraine.
The meeting between the two ministers included discussions on diversetopics ranging from international issues like Afghanistan and Ukraine toenhancing exports of Pakistan.
Qureshi, who addressed a press briefing alongside his Chinese counterpart,told journalists that it was for the first time that the Chinese foreignminister would attend and address the CFM moot.
Earlier, both the countries also signed documents for enhancing cooperationin the fields of higher education and agriculture at a ceremony alsowitnessed by the two foreign ministers.
Qureshi said they also discussed the extension of the China-PakistanEconomic Corridor to Afghanistan. The Chinese FM assured for a reviewconsidering the changed situation in the war-torn country.
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While discussing trade and investment cooperation, Qureshi said, Chinaexpressed the desire for the export of Pakistani rice and wheat in order toenhance the country’s exports.
The two foreign ministers discussed the counter-terrorism cooperation and acoordinated approach to deal with the terrorist outfits including ETIM andTTP.
Wang Yi spoke high of Pakistan’s steps for the security of Chinesenationals in Pakistan and also lauded the strict action against thoseinvolved in Dasu terrorist attack.
FM Qureshi thanked China for supporting Pakistan in Financial Action TaskForce (FATF) and told journalists that his counterpart had assured thecountry of its constant support till its removal from the Grey List.
He also thanked China for giving a rollover of $2 billion to the State Bankof Pakistan (SBP) to support Pakistan’s economy and also mentioned hisupcoming visit to China within a few days which he said showed the limit ofinteraction cooperation and understanding.
