BEIJING, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Monday held a phone conversation with Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at the latter's request.
Qin said China and Pakistan enjoy a special friendship and high-level mutual trust, and the close high-level interactions between the two countries have injected strong impetus into the development of bilateral relations.
China is ready to work with Pakistan to take the important consensus between leaders of the two countries as a guidance, continuously deepen their traditional friendship, and join hands to forge an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era.
Qin stressed that as the Chinese Lunar New Year is approaching, China pays close attention to the safety of Chinese citizens in Pakistan, and hopes that Pakistan will continue to take effective security measures.
For his part, Zardari once again congratulated Qin on taking office as the Chinese foreign minister, saying that the iron-clad friendship between Pakistan and China is the "North Star" that guides Pakistan's foreign policy toward China, and the Pakistani side looks forward to jointly promoting the Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership to a new level.
Zardari sent the Chinese people new year greetings for the Year of the Rabbit, and said that Pakistan will spare no effort to protect the safety of Chinese personnel, institutions and projects in Pakistan. ■
