BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday congratulated Asif Ali Zardari on his election as the President of Pakistan, saying the “iron-clad” friendship between the two countries was a “choice of history” and the strategic significance of their ties has become more prominent considering the current changes in the world.
Zardari, the husband of late Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was overwhelmingly elected as the 14th President of Pakistan on Saturday, becoming the only civilian president of the country for a second time.
Zardari, the co-chairperson of the Pakistan People’s Party, was the joint candidate of the ruling alliance of the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
In his message to Zardari, Xi said, “China and Pakistan are good neighbours, good friends, good partners and good brothers,” adding that the “two countries’ iron-clad friendship was a choice of history and a precious treasure of the people of the two countries”.
“The two countries have in recent years maintained close high-level exchanges and supported each other on different issues,” Xinhua stated.