Strategic partnership with China cornerstone of Pak foreign policy: Khar

Islamabad, Apr 17(ANI): Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has said the strategic partnership with China remains the cornerstone of the country's foreign policy and added Sino-Pak ties had withstood the test of time.

Her statement came at a meeting with a Chinese delegation led by the vice chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the National People's Congress.

Khar said that the exchange of parliamentary delegations would strengthen people-to-people contacts and welcomed such visits in the future, The Daily Times reports.

Senate Chairman Syed Nayyer Hussain Bukhari stressed the need for closer cooperation between Pakistan and China to further strengthen bilateral ties.

He added Pakistan regards its ties with China in high esteem and the current democratic government was keen to enhance ties with both sides.

He said that there was huge scope for enhancing bilateral trade volume and business communities of the two sides should be encouraged to explore new avenues of cooperation in trade and commerce.

"We must foster people-to-people contacts and exchange of visits at the parliamentary levels to benefit from each others' experience and expertise," he said.

Dongdong agreed with the views and said Sino- Pak ties were based on mutual respect and trust.

He described his discussions with Pakistani counterparts as fruitful and expressed hope that ties between both sides would be further strengthened in future. (ANI)