Islamabad: Commander of the Ground Forces of the People's Liberation Army of China General Li Qiaoming was on Tuesday conferred the Nishan-e-Imtiaz, one of the top honours in Pakistan, for his "unwavering commitment" in promoting close cooperation between the militaries of the two all-weather friends.
Gen Li received the Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military) from President Asif Ali Zardari at a special ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr (President House). Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army Chief Gen Asim Munir, service chiefs and parliamentarians attended the event.
The citation at the ceremony highlighted General Li's four-decade career, noting his significant contributions to the Chinese military. His intellect, administrative skills, and dedication have earned him a reputation as a courageous and capable officer, crucial in promoting peace and stability in China and beyond.
"General Li is renowned for his exceptional professionalism and skills in maintaining peace and stability around China. As a friend of Pakistan, he greatly strengthened Pak-China military relations with unwavering commitment,” it said.
Separately, Gen Li along with his delegation called on President Zardari here.
During the meeting, Zardari said that China is a trusted and great friend of Pakistan, and both countries need to further strengthen strategic cooperation for the mutual benefit of the two sides.
He said both China and Pakistan enjoy historic relations, spanning over seven decades, and affirmed Pakistan's resolve to stand with China in view of the changing global scenario.
He underscored the need for further enhancing military and defence cooperation, people-to-people contacts, and cultural linkages to bring the two countries further closer. He said Pakistan is encouraging the learning of the Chinese language which would greatly help promote people-to-people ties.
Highlighting the importance of Pak-China friendship, the Chinese general said the friendship between the two countries is unbreakable. He added that both countries need to work together to fight terrorism.
He also condemned terrorist attacks in Balochistan on Monday and offered his condolences to the government and people.
On Monday, Li met with Prime Minister Sharif and discussed various aspects of the Pakistan-China friendship, particularly the bilateral defence and strategic partnership.
Sharif underscored that Pakistan and China are All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partners and trusted friends and highlighted that the deep-rooted ties between the two nations enjoy broad public, political, and institutional support in Pakistan, “making them indispensable for the progress and development of both countries.” The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction at the deepening military-to-military exchanges and noted that the defence and strategic ties between Pakistan and China are vital for peace and stability in the region.
These relations form the foundation of their bilateral relationship, he said.
General Li, in his remarks, affirmed that China, as an "iron brother, strategic partner, and reliable friend", places the highest priority on its relationship with Pakistan and expressed China’s desire to elevate their bilateral friendship to new levels of cooperation and collaboration.
Recognising the role of Pakistan’s armed forces in promoting regional peace and stability and combating terrorism, General Li reiterated the PLA’s commitment to further expanding its cooperation with Pakistan to enhance the capacity building of the two armed forces.