Beijing: China said on Thursday that it will continue to accord priority to Pakistan in its neighbourhood diplomacy and reinforce “iron-clad’ ties as the all-weather allies celebrated the 69th year of the establishment of their diplomatic relations.
Pakistan recognised China in 1951, a year after India established diplomatic ties with Beijing. India became the first non-Communist country in Asia in 1950 to establish diplomatic relations with China.
Though a late entrant, Pakistan, an Islamic republic, has emerged as Communist China’s closest ally and the two countries in recent years firmed up their all-weather alliance with USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the biggest overseas investment by Beijing.
“Today marks the 69th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between China and Pakistan. I offer congratulations,” Foreign Ministry spokesman told a media briefing here on Thursday.