BEIJING, March 20: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has called for further strengthening the friendly, cooperative and strategic relationship between Pakistan and China.

The Chinese premier was talking to Foreign Minister Khurshid M. Kasuri, who called on him here on Tuesday. During the meeting they discussed matters of mutual interest.

Foreign Minister Kasuri is visiting China on the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Li Zhaoxing.

Premier Wen Jiabao praised President Pervez Musharraf’s initiatives for peace with India.

He said that the inauguration of Gwadar port and flight demonstration of the jointly manufactured JF-17 on the Pakistan Day were living testaments to the close relations between the two countries.

Foreign Minister Kasuri expressed gratitude for allowing him to visit China’s space facilities and said that the president of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation had informed him that he was the first ever foreign leader to visit.

The Chinese premier said that this showed the close relationship between the two countries, adding that even very few Chinese leaders had been allowed to visit the space facilities.—APP