ISLAMABAD, Oct 5: Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas Faisal Saleh Hayat has said that Pakistan-China relations were extremely close, deep-rooted and time-tested.

The friendship between the two countries has grown from strengthen to strength with each passing generation. He stated this while talking to a visiting 30-member delegation from Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region headed by its Governor Ismail Tiliwaldi here Tuesday.

The minister said that political fundamentals of the relations remain sound and were reflected in the frequent high-level exchanges, cooperation and understanding at the international level, support for each other's position and cooperation in the defence, economic and trade fields.

Pakistan and China closely coordinate their policies on important international issues, he added. The minister said, "our trade, economic cooperation, cultural and people-to-people contacts, however, do not commensurate to the strategic quality of political relations".

He underlined the need to strengthen and broaden bilateral trade, cultural exchanges and tourism. The minister said trade links between the areas representing Pakistan-Xinjiang were centuries old and were mainly woven around the historic silk route through Khunjerab Pass being used for trade.

He said at present there were four weekly flights between Islamabad and Urumqi operating since 1994 and one weekly flight from Islamabad to Kashgar began in July, 2004.

Mr Hayat appreciated the economic development of Xinjiang province as a result of Chinese economic reforms and investment policies in the western region which established economic and trade relations with more than 70 countries and regions in the world.

The minister hoped that the visit of the Xinjiang Governor and his team to Pakistan would open new avenues of multi-dimensional cooperation for the mutual advantage of the two countries.

The governor said the visit of the Xinjiang delegation would provide opportunity for exploring close cooperation in economic, trade, tourism and cultural sectors for the benefit of the two countries.

The Chinese ambassador, Zhang Chunxiang, senior officials of the ministries of Kana, foreign, commerce and economic affairs were also present during the meeting. -APP