Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Pakistani Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Rashad Mahmood, Chief of the Army Staff Raheel Sharif, Chief of Naval Staff Muhammad Zakaullah and Chief of the Air Staff Sohail Aman, in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, April 20, 2015. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)
China and Pakistan should deepen and broaden military cooperation in such fields as joint exercise and training, so as to enrich the strategic cooperation between the two countries, Chinese President Xi Jinping said here on Monday.[Special coverage]
The visiting Chinese president made the remarks in his meeting with Pakistani Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Rashad Mahmood, and the chiefs of the army, navy and air forces of the South Asian country.
Hailing the important role the Pakistani military has played in the development of China-Pakistan relations, Xi said that the understanding and support of the Pakistani military is necessary for the two countries to forge a community of shared destiny.
Xi urged the Chinese and Pakistani militaries to maintain the momentum of high-level visits, and make full use of the China-Pakistan defense and security consultations mechanism.
Pledging China's continuing support to the Pakistani efforts on maintaining its independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and its anti-terror strategy, Xi also spoke highly of the anti-terror cooperation between the two countries.
For their parts, the Pakistani military leaders said they support the consolidation of the friendly cooperation between China and Pakistan, and staunchly back China's efforts to counter terrorism and safeguard national security.
The Chinese president is on a two-day visit to Pakistan, and the two countries have decided on Monday to lift bilateral ties to all-weather strategic partnership of cooperation.
