Presidents from Pakistan two immediate neighbours, China and Iran, were among the first world leaders to congratulate President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday, upon his election as the country’s 14th president, expressing their desire to work with Pakistan’s new leaders for strengthening the bilateral relations.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iranian President Syed Ebrahim Raeesi sent their separate messages to Zardari on his unprecedented second term as president as he was sworn in at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

In a congratulatory message, Raisi pointed to the deep-rooted cultural and religious ties between Iran and Pakistan, calling for strengthening the relationship more than before. “As always, and especially in the new era, the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to broaden ties with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” he added.

President Xi of China, meanwhile, congratulated Zardari on his election, stressing that China and Pakistan were “good neighbours, good friends, good partners and good brothers”. He said the two countries’ “iron-clad friendship is a choice of history and a precious treasure of the two peoples”.

In recent years, Xi noted, the two countries have maintained close high-level exchanges, supported each other on issues concerning their respective core interests and major concerns, achieved fruitful results in the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Highlighting a high level of development of bilateral relations, President Xi continued that the world was confronted with accelerated changes unseen in a century, and the strategic significance of China-Pakistan relations had become more prominent.

The Chinese leader stated that he highly regarded the development of China-Pakistan relations, and “is ready to work” with President Zardari to carry forward the traditional bilateral friendship, advance practical cooperation in various fields.

He also expressed his readiness to push for greater development of China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, and to accelerate the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, so as to better benefit the two peoples.

Zardari was elected as president on Saturday. He received 411 votes, as against the 181 his rival, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, garnered. This is Zardari’s second term as the country’s president, having earlier served in the role from 2008 to 2013.
APP