On May 21, 2016, President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with President Mamnoon Hussain of Pakistan over the 65th anniversary of the establishment of China-Pakistan diplomatic relations.
Xi Jinping said in the congratulatory message that China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic partners of cooperation. In the past 65 years since the two countries established diplomatic relations, China-Pakistan relations have withstood the test of the changing international vicissitudes and respective domestic situations and have been moving forward. In recent years, China-Pakistan relations have maintained a strong momentum of development and the two countries have witnessed positive progress in all-round practical cooperation and people-to-people and cultural exchanges. China regards Pakistan as an important partner in advancing the construction of the “Belt and Road”, and the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will lay a solid foundation for the shaping of a community of shared destiny for the two nations. I attach great importance to China-Pakistan relations, and would work with you to create a better future for China-Pakistan relations.
Mamnoon Hussain expressed in the congratulatory message that over the past 65 years, China has always proved to be an iron brother, steadfast friend and a reliable partner of Pakistan. The long-standing and ever-growing partnership between Pakistan and China is based on mutual respect, mutual trust and shared values. On the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, both sides, when reflecting the past achievements and looking ahead towards future aspirations, believe that bilateral friendship even becomes firmer as time goes by and enjoys broad prospect. As leaders of the two modern countries with ancient civilizations, both he and President Xi Jinping have the responsibility to pass bilateral friendship to later generations.
On the same day, Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan also sent congratulatory message to President Xi Jinping.