ISLAMABAD, May 15: The visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan called on President Gen Pervez Musharraf here on Wednesday, an official announcement said.

“The exchanges during the meeting focused on bilateral relations, the situation in Afghanistan, and current tension between Pakistan and India,” it said.

The Chinese foreign minister reiterated President Jiang Zemin’s felicitations to the President on the outcome of the referendum. President Jiang had also expressed the hope that under President Musharraf’s leadership Pakistan would gain social stability and economic progress, and relations between the two countries would be further strengthened.

Praising China’s contribution in the economic development of Pakistan, the president referred particularly to the Karakorum Highway, the Gwadar Deep Sea Port project, and the Thar Coal- fired and power plant projects, it said.

The Chinese foreign minister assured the president of China’s continued support. He appreciated President Musharraf’s policy of restraint and constructive engagement in the face of India’s refusal to de-escalate and resume dialogue with Pakistan.

There was complete unanimity of views on the urgent need for political stability and economic reconstruction in Afghanistan, it added.

WOMEN’S DELEGATION: Earlier, a four-member women’s delegation of All China Women’s Federation called on chairperson National Commission on Status of Women, Justice Majida Rizvi.

The delegation also visited the Ministry of Women’s Development, Women’s Welfare and Development Centre, Polytechnic Institute for Women, and Fatima Jinnah Women’s University.

The delegation comprised Wu Quanzhi, member of the standing committee on All China Women’s Federation, and president of Women’s Federation on Henan Province, Cui Keping, Zhan G Guangyun and Zhao Xin of All China Women Federation.