China's State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe met with Pakistan's Army Chief of Staff Qamar Javed Bajwa on September 19, 2022. Photo:Chinese Defense Ministry WeChat account

China's State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe met with Pakistan's Army Chief of Staff Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday morning, exchanging views on the current international and regional situation and other issues of common concern, read a statement posted by the Ministry of National Defense. 

The face-to-face meeting was held in Xi 'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province. The two sides reaffirmed the strong friendship between China and Pakistan, agreeing to strengthen cooperation in military and other areas.

No matter how the world changes, the rock-solid friendship between China and Pakistan will never change and the two countries will always be the most reliable true friends and good brothers, said Wei.

China and Pakistan's militaries have maintained a stable momentum of development and the two sides should further enhance their strategic mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, continuously enhance the ability to cope with various risks and challenges, and jointly safeguard the common interests of the two countries and regional peace and stability, he said.

Bajwa said it is hoped that the two countries will deepen exchanges in various fields such as economy, trade and disaster relief and further elevate the level of cooperation between the two militaries in joint exercises and training.

Pakistan firmly adheres to the one-China principle and will make efforts to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and institutions in Pakistan, said Bajwa. 

Wei expressed condolences to Bajwa for the severe flood disaster in the country, saying that the two countries need to stand together in times of difficulty and firmly support each other's core interests.

Bajwa thanked the Chinese government and army for their assistance to Pakistan in the recent flood disaster.

China has provided relief supplies worth of 400 million yuan (roughly $57 million) of aid to Pakistan after the disaster ravaged the country, claiming thousands of lives.