News

Prime Minister Imran Khan, President Xi review Pak-China bilateral cooperation

Published

2 years ago

06/02/2022

MNN

Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chinese President Xi Jinping Sunday reviewed the entire gamut of Pakistan-China bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, in a warm and cordial atmosphere.

Both leaders held a meeting at the Great Hall of People. This was the first meeting of the two leaders since the Prime Minister’s visit to China in October 2019.

The prime minister underscored that China was Pakistan’s steadfast partner, staunch supporter and ‘Iron Brother’.

The all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between Pakistan and China had withstood the tests of times and the two nations firmly stood side by side in realizing their visions and shared aspirations of peace, stability, development and prosperity, he added.

The prime minister briefed president Xi on people-centered geo-economics vision and his government’s policies for Pakistan’s sustained growth, industrial development, agricultural modernization, and regional connectivity.

He lauded China’s continued support and assistance to Pakistan’s socio-economic development which had greatly benefitted from the high-quality development of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Prime Minister Khan welcomed increased Chinese investments in CPEC’s Phase-II which centered on industrialization and improving people’s livelihoods.

He shared his views with president Xi on growing polarization in the world which threatened unraveling of global developmental gains, and posed serious risks to the developing countries.

He highlighted that insurmountable challenges like climate change, health pandemics and growing inequalities could only be tackled through unqualified cooperation of all nations in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

In this regard, he lauded president Xi’s visionary Belt and Road and Global Development Initiatives which called for collective action for sustainable development and win-win outcomes.

The prime minister highlighted that the atrocities being perpetrated in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), and the persecution of minorities in India in advancing the Hindutva mindset of RSS-BJP, was a threat to regional peace and stability.

He said that the rapid militarization of India was undermining regional stability.

Prime minister Khan highlighted that partnership between Pakistan and China was an anchor for peace and stability in the region and thanked China for its unwavering support to Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence and national development.

He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s full support to China on all issues of its core interest.

Both leaders acknowledged that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan would promote economic development and connectivity in the region and called on the international community to promptly assist the Afghan people in averting a humanitarian catastrophe.

Both leaders appreciated the signing of a number of agreements covering industrial cooperation, space cooperation, and vaccine cooperation.

The two leaders reaffirmed their resolve to building of the Pakistan-China community for shared future in the new era.

Prime minister Imran Khan congratulated the leadership and people of China on successful hosting of the 24th Olympic Winter Games in Beijing and extended his best wishes on the Chinese Lunar New Year.

He also renewed his invitation to President Xi Jinping to undertake a visit to Pakistan at his early convenience.

News

President Muizzu sends condolences over death of Iranian President Raisi

Published

10 hours ago

20/05/2024

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has expressed sorrow and extended heartfelt condolences following the untimely death of Iranian President Dr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi in a tragic helicopter crash. The crash also claimed the lives of Iran’s Foreign Minister Abdollahian and other senior officials.

In a post of social media, President Muizzu conveyed his deepest sympathies, praying to Almighty Allah to bless the souls of those lost in the incident and grant them Jannatul Firdaus. He extended his thoughts and prayers to the bereaved families and the people of Iran during this time of profound grief.

President Muizzu emphasised the solidarity of the Maldivian government and its people with Iran, underscoring support in this period of mourning. He acknowledged the devastating impact of the accident and reinforced the Maldives’ commitment to standing by Iran in the face of this tragedy.

The expression of condolences comes amidst ongoing efforts in Iran to cope with the loss of their leader and other senior officials, highlighting the shared grief and unity between the two nations during this difficult time.

Source(s): PsmNews

World

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi & Foreign Minister dead in helicopter crash

Published

11 hours ago

20/05/2024

Ebrahim Raisi, 63, was elected president in 2021, having had a decades-long career in the country’s judicial system under his belt

Iranian state media have confirmed that President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash in the country’s northwestern province of East Azerbaijan. His entire entourage, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Governor of East Azerbaijan Malek Rahmati have also perished, Press TV said.

The head of state had traveled to the border region after joining Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev on Saturday to inaugurate a dam. Raisi had pledged to visit each of Iran’s 30 provinces at least once a year, and was thus regularly moving around the country.

Reports of a “crash landing” began circulating earlier on Sunday, with Iranian state media citing Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi. According to media outlet IRNA, the weather was foggy in the area where the presidential helicopter is believed to have gone down.

According to the media, Raisi was traveling in a US-made Bell 212 helicopter. Low visibility and the impassibility of the area made search operations difficult, IRNA also wrote. Though rescue teams reportedly launched a search operation within an hour of the incident, adverse weather conditions hampered the process.

According to the media, Raisi was traveling in a US-made Bell 212 helicopter. The rescuers finally managed to locate the crash site on Monday morning with the help of Turkish surveillance drones. The wreckage was discovered in the woodland area of a mountain slope. The aircraft was heavily damaged and charred. There were no signs of survivors, the Iranian Red Crescent Society said.

With Raisi’s passing, First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber is expected to take office as interim leader.

A representative of the republic’s conservative wing, Raisi, was elected back in 2021. Before assuming Iran’s top job, he had worked his way up from Prosecutor and Deputy Prosecutor in Tehran in the 1980s and 1990s all the way to Attorney General and, later, Chief Justice.

Source(s):RT News

News

Technical Chinese team to assist in 5M tree planting programme

Published

1 day ago

19/05/2024

The Ambassador of China to the Maldives Wang Lixin has affirmed that a technical team of China will visit the Maldives to conduct a soil analysis, prior to the commencement of the five million tree planting programme.

Addressing the media, Ambassador Lixin stated that the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy is engaged in collaborative efforts with the Chinese company, Fujian Forestry Administration regarding the programme. The ambassador further disclosed that the technical team will conduct a comprehensive study on the soil and will identify and elucidate the various types of plants which can be cultivated in the Maldives easily.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has announced the national initiative to plant five million trees across the country at the high-level segment of the Twenty-Eighth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai.

The programme will commence annually on June 5, commemorating World Environment Day. Trees will be planted in all residential islands and resorts under the programme. The administration previously revealed that neighbouring nations will be contributing trees to the initiative.

Source(s): PsmNews