Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said in Islamabad Saturday Pakistan and China enjoy strategic relations and share common positions on various regional and international issues.  

During a meeting with visiting Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, Aziz said Pakistan will continue to lend its unequivocal support to China on the issues of Taiwan and Tibet and noted that China has always stood by Pakistan, according to a statement issued by Pakistani Foreign Ministry.

Aziz said Pakistan's relations with China are growing with the passage of time and have been further strengthened by the visit of Premier Wen Jiabao to Pakistan in April.

The two neighbors have deep-rooted relations at all levels encompassing economy, diplomacy, defense cooperation, people to people contacts and strategic relations covering all areas, Aziz stressed.

Referring to the UN reforms, Aziz said China is a global power and Pakistan will work closely with it to develop consensus among the developing countries on the UN reforms.

The UN reform process covers not only the Security Council but the entire world body, he said, adding that Pakistan feels that the reforms should be based on just, equitable and democratic terms.

Aziz briefed Wu on the ongoing composite dialogue process between Pakistan and India and various confidence building measures taken the two sides to improve relations.

Talking about Afghanistan, Aziz said a strong, stable and peaceful Afghanistan is not only in the interest of people of Afghanistan but also for the region.

Wu said that he had extremely useful and productive talks with the Pakistani authorities and expressed satisfaction over the outcome.

He congratulated Pakistan on being given the observer status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, commended the Pakistani government on its remarkable achievement in the socio-economic fields and thanked Pakistan for its continued support to China on Taiwan and Tibet issues.

(Xinhua News Agency July 4, 2005)