ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that Pakistan considers China its best and most trusted friend. In a letter sent to Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao on Tuesday , Mr Aziz said that friendship between China and Pakistan had been carried forward from generation to generation.

"Our countries ... are determined to work together for the cause of peace, stability and prosperity of our peoples and all peoples of the world. Pakistan-China friendship is, indeed, an important factor for peace and stability in South Asia," Mr Aziz wrote to Mr Jiabao.

"We in Pakistan deeply admire ... the phenomenal progress that China has achieved. This is in itself an eloquent testimony to the sagacity of the Chinese leadership and a tribute to the genius of the Chinese people," said Mr Aziz in his letter.

He said that it would be his endeavour to further strengthen friendship ties between the two countries. In the end, Mr Aziz said, "We look forward to your excellency's long awaited visit to Pakistan in the near future ... It would ... provide a new impetus to developing further our multi-faceted cooperation."

Meanwhile, world leaders and statesmen continued to send messages of felicitations and good wishes to Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, on the assumption of his new office, says an official handout of the Foreign Office.

On Tuesday, Mr Aziz received congratulatory messages from Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Prime Minister of Russian Federation Mikhail Fradkov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea Lee Hae-Chan, Turkmenistan President Saparmurat Niyazov and Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah.

Prime Minister of Lebanon Rafiq Hariri felicitated Mr Aziz on telephone and expressed the confidence that, in the years to come, Lebanon and Pakistan would work towards further strengthening of their relations.

Prince Karim Aga Khan also telephoned Mr Aziz to congratulate him and to convey his best wishes for his success. Afghan President Hamid Karzai wrote that he was hopeful that under Shaukat Aziz's leadership, Pakistan would achieve more successes.

Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah of Afghanistan, in his message, said he considered Mr Aziz's election as a positive step for further enhancement and strengthening of the mutual and friendly and brotherly relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Prime Minister Lee Hae-Chan of South Korea, in his message, wrote: "I am confident that your eminent leadership, along with the economic expertise you have acquired over the years, will greatly contribute to the achievement of economic development and prosperity of your country."

Prime Minister Lee added: "I am also highly satisfied with the current state of friendly and cooperative relations between our two countries and will continue working closely with you to further strengthening bilateral relations in the years to come." Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov wished Mr Aziz success in his new assignment.