‘Nothing can destabilise friendship with Pakistan’

* PML condoles death of Chinese engineer

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Zhang Chunxiang on Saturday said that nothing could destabilise the friendship between Pakistan and China.

In his message at a seminar, organised by the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) to condole the death of a Chinese engineer killed during a rescue operation in Waziristan on Thursday, Mr Chunxiang said some individuals had taken the Chinese engineers hostage to create a rift between the relations of the two brotherly countries.

He said the governments and the people of both Pakistan and China had strong relations which would never be undermined by such incidents. “The murder of the Chinese engineer is intolerable to the people of both countries,” he said.

The leadership of the ruling PML expressed its condolence with the family of the deceased Chinese engineer and the people of China. The message of the Chinese ambassador was read out by one of his subordinates.

The Chinese ambassador said that President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had tried their utmost to rescue both the Chinese engineers. He said that Chinese engineers would continue to visit Pakistan on their official assignments and hoped that the government of Pakistan would provide them with adequate security.

PML Secretary General Mushahid Hussain Sayed said China provided wholehearted support to Pakistan during the 1965 and 1971 wars. In return Pakistan supported the restoration of China’s membership in the United Nations, he added. Mr Syed said that terrorism was a common problem of both countries and joint efforts were needed for its eradication. PML leaders, including Majeed Malik, Tariq Azeem, Muhammad Ali Durrani and Iqbal Dar, also addressed at the occasion.

Meanwhile, China’s State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan arrived on Sunday on an official visit to Pakistan and regional countries, APP reports. Jiaxuan will also visit India, Malaysia and Thailand. Diplomats said the visit aimed to increase ties with regional countries. Jiaxuan will meet top officials and discuss ways to increase cooperation with these countries.

Meanwhile, the body of Chinese hostage Wang Peng, who was killed by kidnappers in South Waziristan, reached the Shandong province on Sunday. Vice Governor Xie Yutang received Wang Peng’s body. The vice governor said China and Pakistan enjoyed close friendship and they would continue cooperating in various projects.

He said praised the Pakistani government for hunting the kidnappers and rescuing the other Chinese hostage. He expressed gratitude to Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar for accompanying Wang Peng’s body.

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