Beijing: Pakistan is the only "all-weather strategic cooperation partner" of China, said a state-run daily which noted that the cooperation between the two countries has expanded from political and security fields to economy and trade, climate change, food and energy security.
People's Daily on Tuesday cited an article "Pakistan remains faithful partner of China" in the Global Times that said in April when President Xi Jinping visited Pakistan, China and Pakistan elevated the bilateral relations to "all-weather strategic cooperation partners".
The daily said that "for countries with different social systems and ideologies that want to collaborate with each other, the China-Pakistan relationship has become a model to follow".
"This type of relationship is not based on common values and systems but on same or similar strategic and security interests. Today, common security concerns still exist and some new concerns like global terrorism and maritime security have arisen for both sides in recent years."
It noted that since the beginning of the 21st century, the basis of China-Pakistan cooperation has expanded.
"Before, the basis of the all-weather partnership mainly included political, strategic and security cooperation, now the closer economic ties have become a part of this basis, which makes two countries form a 'community of shared destiny'.
"The two sides not only have common economic interest and common security concerns, but also share the dream of national peace, stability, and prosperity. 'Shared destiny' is the solid foundation for our cooperation in international affairs," it added.
The article recalled that in 1972, China used its veto power for the first time to support Pakistan at the UN Security Council by refusing to admit Bangladesh, the former East Pakistan, to the UN.
"After 1989, every time when China was blamed by the US and other Western countries at the UN Commission on Human Rights, Pakistan was always the first one to stand up and speak for China."
The article observed that "apart from traditional security issues, more and more non-traditional challenges arise".
It went on to say that China and Pakistan support each other in regional cooperation.
"Pakistan actively supports China further deepening cooperation with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. China supports Pakistan to become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Pakistan is one of the founding members of the China-initiated Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and shows solid support to the project."
The article said that China and Pakistan can further strengthen bilateral policy coordination and strategic cooperation. "They have a stake in each other's success."
