China appreciates Pakistan's support for national security legislation for HK: FM

China appreciates Pakistan's support to the former's national security legislation for Hong Kong, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Friday in a phone conversation with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Wang said that the COVID-19 epidemic is profoundly changing the world and that unstable factors in the international community and the region are increasing.

China and Pakistan should work together to tackle the risks and challenges and safeguard the common interests of the two countries as well as regional peace and stability, Wang suggested.

For a long time, China and Pakistan have always understood and supported each other, standing firmly together on issues concerning each other's core interests, Wang noted, describing the two countries as reliable and sincere friends.

China appreciates the fact that Pakistan, together with more than 50 countries at the 44th session of UN Human Rights Council, voiced firm support for China's national security legislation for HK and strong opposition to interference in China's internal affairs, which reflects the unanimous call of the international community for upholding fairness and justice and respecting basic norms on international relations, he said.

Wang said that since the onset of the epidemic, China and Pakistan have helped each other by providing anti-epidemic supplies, setting an example for international anti-epidemic cooperation.

The two sides, he said, should overcome temporary difficulties caused by the epidemic, ensure the smooth progress in constructing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), allocate resources of the CPEC toward improving industries and people's livelihoods, and strengthen cooperation in the fields of medical care and health, employment training, poverty reduction and agriculture, among others, to assist Pakistan in eventually prevailing over the epidemic and reviving its economy at an early date.

Concerning the recent terrorist attack at the Pakistan Stock Exchange in Karachi, Wang pointed out that China firmly supports Pakistan's efforts to combat terrorism and defend its national security.

Wang said China hopes that more strong measures will be taken by the Pakistani side to protect overseas Chinese and their institutions and projects, combat terrorist groups with all-out efforts, and create a safe and sound environment for bilateral cooperation and the development of the CPEC.

For his side, Qureshi expressed his gratitude to China for its precious support and help to Pakistan against the COVID-19 outbreak, and also congratulated China on holding a high-level video conference on Belt and Road cooperation, voicing his belief that China's strong leadership and endeavors will help other countries speed up economic recovery.

Given that the global landscape and the regional situation have undergone complex changes, Pakistan stands ready to strengthen cooperation and coordination with China to safeguard regional peace and stability, Qureshi said.

He stressed that joint construction of the Belt and Road and the development of the CPEC are both pivotal for Pakistan, and his country will deepen cooperation with China by setting up a fast lane for the CPEC to better serve the economic recovery of both sides.

China's national security legislation for HK is totally China's internal affairs, said Qureshi, adding that Pakistan firmly opposes any interference in China's internal affairs by any outside forces, and will stick to the one-China policy and side with China over its core interests.

The two ministers also exchanged views over the situation in Kashmir, Afghanistan and South Asia, among others.