Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Uzbekistan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Summit.
Highlights
- Pakistan told China that NSG membership should have no exceptions
- PM Modi met Xi Jinping and appealed for a fair assessment
- China has so far oppossed India's entry in the nuclear club
Pakistan in yet another effort to keep India out of the Nuclear Suppliers Group or NSG told China today that any "exception" in grating membership in the group will "disturb" strategic stability in South Asia.
However, Pakistan made a strong case for the country to be included in the 48-member group. In a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tashkent, Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain said that his country had made notable efforts over the years to strengthen its export controls, command and control and nuclear safety and security.
"The President said that any exception given for NSG membership could disturb strategic stability in South Asia," Pak's Foreign Office said in a statement.
The Pak-China meeting was soon followed by a meeting between PM Modi and Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Uzbekistan. India has appealed China to make a fair assessment for India's membership in the nuclear powers group.
Pakistan in its statement further said, "Both sides (Pak-China) reiterated support to each other's core interests and expressed their intention to maintain close coordination."
Mr Hussain said the friendship between the two countries is time tested and based on complete mutual trust, understanding and respect. The two countries enjoyed excellent cooperation and convergence of views on regional and global issues.
He also thanked China for its support to Pakistan for becoming full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
Mr Hussain said Pakistan was committed to the timely realisation of all the projects under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and emphasised that it would not only benefit Pakistan and China but would be a game changer for the entire region.
President Xi said Pakistan and China are "iron brothers" and both nations enjoy an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.
He expressed China's complete support to Pakistan's national security and territorial integrity. President Xi stated that CPEC was a flagship project of the One Belt One Road Initiative and China was committed to its successful completion.
Both sides expressed satisfaction over the progress of the CPEC related projects. They appreciated the various activities being carried out to celebrate 2016 as the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China.