In a recent letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping, a group of Pakistani students studying at China's Tianjin University made a heartfelt pledge to become builders of cooperation, promoters of exchanges, and guardians of friendship between the two nations.

Xi said he was truly heartened to see that the cause of China-Pakistan friendship has dedicated young successors, a pleasure he shared with visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday.

The two countries, Xi said, should accelerate the development of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era and deliver more outcomes from their all-weather cooperation to better benefit the two peoples, contribute to regional peace and stability, and set a fine example for building a community with a shared future with neighboring countries.

An unbreakable friendship

The Pakistani prime minister's four-day official visit to China comes on the heels of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which began on May 21, 1951.

Xi said that over the past 75 years, "China and Pakistan have enjoyed mutual understanding, trust and support, and forged an unbreakable traditional friendship."

The strategic mutual trust and practical cooperation have strongly promoted the development of both nations, he said.

No matter how the international landscape evolves, China will always prioritize the development of China-Pakistan relations in its diplomacy with neighboring countries, Xi added.

He also urged the two sides to advance both major signature projects and "small and beautiful" livelihood programs and deepen all-round cooperation in areas such as agriculture, industry, artificial intelligence, and talent cultivation.

China and Pakistan see bilateral cooperation deepening across all sectors, with rich fruits in trade and economic ties. China has maintained its position as Pakistan's largest trading partner for 11 consecutive years. It is Pakistan's largest source of imports and its second-largest export destination, and ranks as the country's largest source of foreign direct investment, according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

As a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been upgraded to version 2.0, focusing on five key pillars: growth, livelihood enhancement, innovation, green development, and openness. The corridor has injected over $25.9 billion in total investment into Pakistan's economy and created 260,000 jobs.

Sharif said Pakistan will deepen BRI cooperation with China and advance CPEC development so that the Pakistan-China relationship will continue to grow and benefit both peoples.

He said the ironclad friendship, which was forged personally by the older generation of leaders, is "growing ever stronger and next to none."

A multipolar world

Far beyond its bilateral scope, China-Pakistan cooperation is widely seen as injecting a dose of stability into an increasingly turbulent global and regional landscape.

During Monday's talks, Xi said China appreciates Pakistan for demonstrating "a proactive spirit" and for mediating to restore peace in the Middle East, while Sharif said Pakistan appreciates China for supporting its mediation in negotiations between the United States and Iran.

Last month, Xi put forward a four-point proposal to promote peace and stability in the Middle East, advocating a commitment to the principles of peaceful coexistence, national sovereignty, and the international rule of law, as well as a balanced approach to development and security.

These four propositions provide a guiding framework for peace in the region, the Pakistani prime minister told Xi.

Xi said that China and Pakistan should further enhance security cooperation across broader areas and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

He continued that the two sides should maintain close communication and coordination, jointly oppose unilateralism and the Cold War mentality, and promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and an economic globalization that is universally beneficial and inclusive.

In an interview with China Media Group, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong said that closer cooperation between the two countries serves as both "an anchor" for regional peace and stability and "a firewall" safeguarding international equity and justice.

Against the backdrop of spillovers from the US-Israel-Iran conflict and mounting pressure on the regional landscape and global economy, Jiang said China and Pakistan are standing together to amplify the voice of peace and justice while actively collaborating on practical mediation efforts.