China Monday welcomed the recent positive interactions between Pakistan and India and said that it was ready to work with Pakistan to inject positive energy into regional peace, stability, and development.

This is the first official confirmation of positive back-channel contacts between the two countries.

"China is pleased with Pakistan’s recent positive interactions with India. We are ready to work with Pakistan, and continue to inject positive energy into regional peace, stability, and development," said Zhao Lijian, the spokesman of China’s ministry of foreign affairs, during a media briefing in Beijing, China.

Zhao Lijian said that China warmly congratulates Pakistan on the 82nd Pakistan Day, and believes that the Pakistani government and people will make steady progress on the path of national development and rejuvenation.

"China has noted and highly appreciates President Dr. Arif Alvi’s positive comments on China-Pakistan relations in his speech delivered on the occasion of the Pakistan Day military parade,” he said.

Zhao Lijian said that China also cherishes its all-weather strategic partnership of cooperation with Pakistan.

"We are ready to take the 70th anniversary of our diplomatic ties as an opportunity to work together in the fight against COVID-19, carry forward our traditional friendship, deepen all-round cooperation, and build an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future for the new era,” he said.

President Alvi also stressed in his speech that Pakistan will focus on development, and remain committed to peaceful coexistence with the outside world. He called on world leaders, especially South Asian leaders, to discard hatred, prejudice, and religious extremism, and jointly safeguard regional peace and prosperity.

"To pursue peace and development is the shared aspiration of all countries in the region. China supports Pakistan’s foreign policy of peace and good-neighborliness as well as its commitment to advancing the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan,” concluded the Chinese spokesman.

(Edited by Ye Ke)