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Pakistan calls for 'robust' anti-terror ties

2011-08-25 09:44

Pakistan calls for 'robust' anti-terror ties

The Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar delivers a speech on Pakistan-China relations at the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing, August 24, 2011.[Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

BEIJING - Pakistan seeks a more robust cooperation with China in counter-terrorism and intelligence, the Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said during an address on Wednesday at the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing.

Khar said security issues brought Islamabad and Beijing closer. "We respond to that (issue) by increasing our cooperation in counter-terrorism, increasing our intelligence cooperation," she added.

"Pakistan and China are already cooperating in counter-terrorism," said Khar, before adding "We need to make this even more robust."

The Pakistan-China relations are unique, she said. "Pakistan and China have commonality of interests."

China and Pakistan conducted a weeklong anti-terror exercise last July. This year is the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Pakistan, as well as the Year of China-Pakistan Friendship.

Friendship between China and Pakistan has withstood the pressures of time, and especially has adapted to the changing global and regional environment, said Khar.

Khar also hailed the economic cooperation with China in the address. China and Pakistan signed the Free Trade Agreement in 2006. The bilateral trade volume reached $8.6 billion in 2010, up 27.7% from 2009, according to statistics from China Customs.

The Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, during a talk with Khar on Wednesday, described the China-Pakistan relationship as a "high-quality strategic cooperative partnership" and an all-weather friendship.

China is willing to take the opportunities to work with Pakistan in elevating the two countries' strategic cooperative partnership, Yang stated.

Hina Rabbani Khar, the first female Pakistani foreign minister and also the youngest at 34 years old, made her first visit to China from August 23-24 since assuming office last month.

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