_{BANQUET SPEECH BY THE  CHINESE PREMIER ZHU RONGJI Islamabad, 11 May 2001}

DOCUMENT # 5  

“I am very glad to have the opportunity of paying an official visit to Pakistan, a friend of China, at the invitation of Your Excellency the Chief Executive. The moment we set foot on your soil, we have been immersed in the profound friendship of the Pakistani people towards the Chinese people. This afternoon, Mr. Chief Executive, you and I held candid and fruitful talks and reached consensus on many questions and now you are hosting this grand welcoming dinner. My wife and all the other members of the delegation wish to join me in expressing sincere thanks to you and your wife and extending good wishes to all the Pakistani friends present here.

China and Pakistan are close neighbours. Two thousand years ago, the Silk Road served as a bridge for our friendly exchanges.  Today we are closely linked up by the Karakoram Highway. For 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China-Pakistan friendship and cooperation have continued to develop thanks to our joint efforts. Going beyond differences in social system, ideology and religious belief, we have succeeded in implementing the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, thus setting an example of good-neighbourly friendship, mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation. The Chinese Government is ready to further strengthen the partnership of all-round cooperation with Pakistan and instill new vigour and vitality into the friendly relations between our two countries.

Over the past 50 years, China and Pakistan, both development countries, have had mutual understanding and support on many major international issues. Pakistan has always spoken up for China at international forums, firmly supporting China’s efforts to safeguard national unity and territorial integrity and upholding justice and dignity in the cause of international human rights. In the new century, China and Pakistan should continue to step up their cooperation, safeguard the solidarity and interests of the developing countries in a common endeavour to promote the establishment of a just and rational new international political and economic order.

South Asia is an important component not only of Asia, but also of the whole world. Peace and development in the region are vitally linked with the stability and prosperity of Asia and the world at large. As a close neighbour to South Asia, China cares about the situation in the region. China sincerely hopes that South Asia will be able to maintain peace and stability and that countries in the subcontinent can live together in peace and as equals politically, cooperate closely for common development economically, and together work in concert for a secure, harmonious and economically developing South Asia. This not only conforms to the common aspiration and fundamental interests of all peoples in the region, but also is beneficial to peace and stability in Asia and the world at large. The Chinese side is ready to work together with all countries in South Asia including Pakistan and contribute our due share to realizing this goal.  

Friends,

At present, China enjoys political stability, vibrant economic development and all-round social progress. Having found a road of development suited to national conditions, the Chinese people are focusing their efforts on boosting economic development, determined to bring about modernization by and large and build China into a strong, prosperous, democratic and culturally advanced socialist country by the middle of this century. Stability and development in China are not only in the interest of prosperity and progress in Asia but an important contribution to world peace and development.

At this moment when old and new friends meet, please allow me to convey once again my sincere thanks to the Chief Executive, to the Government and people of Pakistan for their gracious hospitality and to pay my tribute to personages from various circles and friends who have long been working for China-Pakistan friendship. May the tree of our friendship remain evergreen.”