March 23, 2003	Sunday	Muharram 19, 1424

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BEIJING, March 22: Newly-elected Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao said that Sino-Pakistan friendship had helped promote peace and stability in South Asia.

In an interview in Beijing on the eve of Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali’s visit to China, he said he was looking forward to receive Mr Jamali and discuss with him wide-ranging issues of bilateral, regional and international interest.

When asked about his expectations from Mr Jamali’s three-day visit, beginning March 24, Mr Wen Jiabao said he believed the visit would help push forward Sino-Pakistan partnership of all-round cooperation.

The new Chinese leadership, he said would maintain continuity and consistency in the decades-old policy of promoting good friendly and neighbourly relations with Pakistan.

This, he said helped in making a positive contribution in safeguarding the legitimate interests of China, Pakistan and other developing countries and promoting peace and stability in South Asia and the world at large.

Lauding Pakistan’s policies towards China, Mr Wen Jiabao said, since coming into office, the Pakistani government led by Prime Minister Jamali has given priority its relations with China and had actively pushed for bilateral economic cooperation and trade. “The Chinese side highly appreciates this,” he added.

Explaining the policy, which had been the basis of their close bilateral cooperation, the premier said the two countries have been working on the basis of Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence by rising above differences in social system, ideology and religious belief.

“The new Chinese government elected at the First Session of the Tenth National People’s Congress will maintain the continuity and consistency of China’s diplomatic and external policies, continue to pursue its independent foreign policy of peace, cultivate friendship and partnership with its neighbours, and strengthen amicable ties with all countries in the world, Pakistan included,” he said. —APP