China assured Pakistan on Tuesday that its traditional friendship would not be hurt by warming ties with India, whose Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, made an inaugural visit earlier this month.
China has long close ties with Pakistan, India's estranged neighbour, but foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said improved ties with New Delhi were in the interests of the region. "China and India are both big developing countries. To improve relations and strengthen co-operation is in the interests of both countries and in the interests of regional stability, prosperity and development," she told a news conference.
Closer co-operation, which included a first joint anti-terrorism exercise in December and bilateral trade that soared 56 percent to 38.6 billion dollars last year, would not leave Pakistan out in the cold, Jiang said. "Pakistan is China's strategic partner and China attaches great importance to China-Pakistan relations," she said. "China will make joint efforts with Pakistan to deepen our bilateral strategic partnership."
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