On April 20 local time, President Xi Jinping held talks with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan in Islamabad. Both sides unanimously agreed to upgrade the China-Pakistan relations to an all-weather strategic partnership of cooperation, constantly enrich the connotation of China-Pakistan community of common destiny and stay committed to China-Pakistan perpetual friendship from generation to generation.

Xi Jinping pointed out that China and Pakistan have always shared mutual trust, mutual understanding and mutual support, and are all-weather friends. The two countries have maintained close high-level exchanges, gained comprehensive and profound development in cooperation in all fields, and maintained close communication and coordination in international and regional affairs. China and Pakistan helped each other in the recent evacuations of nationals in Yemen, in which the Chinese navy vessel carrying many Pakistani citizens evacuated the Aden port while the Pakistani navy vessel helped eight Chinese students evacuate from the Al Mukalla port. This once again justifies the precious China-Pakistan all-weather friendship.

Xi Jinping emphasized that Pakistan is the first stop of his first overseas visit this year. China highly values developing its relations with Pakistan, and always takes the China-Pakistan relations as a priority in its diplomacy. Xi Jinping raised five proposals on developing the China-Pakistan relations:

First, maintain high-level exchanges, keep to the right direction and guide the development of the bilateral relations, and encourage counterpart exchanges between governments, legislatures, political parties and armed forces. China thanks Pakistan for its consistent support to China on issues concerning Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet, the South China Sea and others. China will continue to firmly support Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, firmly support Pakistan's choice of development path according to its own national conditions, firmly support Pakistan in maintaining national stability and promoting economic and social development, and firmly support Pakistan in playing a constructive role in promoting regional peace and stability.

Second, center on the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and form a "1+4" cooperation pattern by focusing on cooperation in the Gwadar port, transportation infrastructure, energy and industry to achieve win-win cooperation and common development. Both sides should promote the construction of the Gwadar port for steady progress and promote the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor for a comprehensive, balanced and steady development to benefit the peoples and make it a major project with exemplary significance for the connectivity construction in the region. It is of significant meaning for the energy project in China-Pakistan cooperation to be chosen as the first project supported by the Silk Road Fund. Both sides should make overall plans for the construction of industrial parks along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and finalize negotiations on the China-Pakistan free trade area at an early date to lead the construction of free trade areas between China and the South Asian countries. China welcomes Pakistan to actively participate in the founding of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Third, strengthen China-Pakistan security cooperation. China appreciates Pakistan's contribution to the international counter-terrorism campaign, firmly supports Pakistan in advancing its counter-terrorism strategy in accordance with its own national conditions and is willing to assist Pakistan in enhancing counter-terrorism capacity building. China hopes that Pakistan continues to take effective measures to safeguard the safety of Chinese institutions and personnel in Pakistan.

Fourth, jointly hold activities of the China-Pakistan Year of Friendly Exchanges in 2015 and promote exchanges in fields such as culture, education, local governments, youth, think tanks and media. In order to commend the contribution the relevant persons and groups made in promoting China-Pakistan friendship, China has decided to confer "Friendship Award of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence" to the relevant folks and groups of Pakistan.

Fifth, make best use of platforms such as the United Nations (UN) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to enhance policy coordination and strategic cooperation in major international and regional issues such as the UN reform, climate change, and food and energy security. China appreciates Pakistan's adherence to good-neighborly foreign policy, supports Pakistan in improving relations with its neighbors, and welcomes Pakistan to join the SCO as a full member. China values Pakistan's unique role in the Afghan issue, and is willing to work with Pakistan to jointly promote the reconciliation process in Afghanistan.

Nawaz Sharif once again welcomed Xi Jinping's visit, and said that the Pakistani government and people have long anticipated it. He said that Pakistan-China friendship is the cornerstone of Pakistan's foreign policy, and the Pakistani people treasure the brotherly friendship with the Chinese people. Pakistan thanks China for its valuable support on issues concerning Pakistan's sovereignty and security, and is satisfied with the sound bilateral cooperation in global and regional issues. Pakistan adheres to the One China policy and supports China's positions on issues concerning Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet, the South China Sea and others. Pakistan is willing to strengthen economic and trade cooperation with China to push the bilateral trade level to a new high. The Pakistan-China Economic Corridor is a symbolic project in bilateral cooperation with great significance to the promotion of peace and prosperity in the region. Pakistan is willing to work closely with China and try its best to guarantee the safety of Chinese personnel in Pakistan. Pakistan agrees to strengthen bilateral people-to-people and cultural exchanges and is willing to advance bilateral exchanges in all fields through this year's Pakistan-China Year of Friendly Exchanges. Pakistan appreciates China's constructive role in regional affairs and speaks highly of China's support to the reconciliation process in Afghanistan. Pakistan supports China's initiative of "Belt and Road" and will actively participate in the building of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

After the talks, Xi Jinping and Nawaz Sharif jointly unveiled bilateral cooperative projects such as the China-Pakistan National Joint Research Center of Small-sized Hydropower Technology and the Chinese Culture Center in Islamabad, and attended the video connection activities for cooperative projects such as the photovoltaic power station.

Both sides signed and issued the "Joint Statement between the People's Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on Establishing an All-weather Strategic Partnership of Cooperation", and witnessed the signing of over 50 bilateral cooperative documents related to fields such as transportation infrastructure, energy, agriculture, trade, finance, health care, local governments, media, marine science and education.

The leaders of the two countries jointly met the press as well. Xi Jinping pointed out that the main purposes of my visit this time are to consolidate traditional friendship, deepen practical cooperation and establish a strategic framework for China-Pakistan cooperation in the next five to ten years. I held highly fruitful talks with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and I am satisfied with the fruitful results scored during the visit. The founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah once said, "It is only with united effort that we shall be able to translate our dreams into reality." China and Pakistan are to be good brothers who will get united and help each other forever. China always takes the China-Pakistan relations as a priority in its diplomacy, and is willing to cooperate closely with Pakistan to make China-Pakistan cooperation bring more benefits to the two peoples and to carry on China-Pakistan traditional friendship from generation to generation.

Nawaz Sharif said that President Xi's visit will be a milestone in the history of the Pakistan-China relations. Pakistan and China enjoy a friendship higher than mountains, deeper than oceans, sweeter than honey and stronger than steel. The relations with China serve as the cornerstone of Pakistan's foreign policy. No matter how the international situation changes, the two countries always respect and support each other. The Pakistan-China Economic Corridor that the two countries jointly built is a symbol of peace and prosperity, and will definitely benefit the region. Pakistan regards China's security as its own security. Both sides will strengthen cooperation in international and regional organizations such as the UN. Pakistan thanks China for supporting it to become a full member of the SCO.

On the same night, Xi Jinping and Nawaz Sharif jointly planted a tree of friendship in the Prime Minister's Secretariat of Pakistan. Xi Jinping pointed out that the tree is a symbol of China-Pakistan friendship which will be eternal like pine trees.

Peng Liyuan, Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu, Yang Jiechi and others attended the above activities respectively.