Update: Xi meets Pakistan's prime minister

BEIJING, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday met with Prime Minister of Pakistan Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar, who is in Beijing for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

Xi said that China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners and ironclad friends, noting that successive Pakistani governments have actively supported and participated in the Belt and Road cooperation.

Over the past 10 years, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has achieved fruitful results, effectively promoting Pakistan's economic and social development, and becoming an important signature project of the Belt and Road cooperation, Xi said.

He added that China will continue to support Pakistan in safeguarding national sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.

Xi pointed out that the two countries should build an upgraded version of the CPEC that promotes growth, people's well-being, innovation, green development, and openness. They should also strengthen cooperation in fields including industrial parks, agriculture, mining, and new energy, and facilitate the early implementation of major connectivity projects for tangible results.

Xi expressed the hope that the Pakistani side will take effective measures to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and institutions in Pakistan.

China is willing to strengthen cooperation with Pakistan within the framework of the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to promote regional unity and cooperation and safeguard legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.

Kakar said that the eight major steps newly announced by President Xi to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation will not only strengthen global connectivity but also promote a more just and reasonable global governance system, providing important opportunities for Pakistan and other countries to achieve better development.

He said that Pakistan will always be a reliable and trustworthy friend of China and will never allow any force to undermine the Pakistan-China friendship. Pakistan will also be committed to deepening the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership with China, he added.

Pakistan is willing to closely cooperate with China to promote high-quality development of the CPEC. The Pakistani government will spare no effort to ensure the safety and interests of Chinese personnel and institutions in Pakistan, Kakar said.

Senior Chinese officials Cai Qi and Wang Yi attended the meeting.