Pakistan, China Reaffirm Zero-Tolerance Policy Against Terrorism and Separatism

BEIJING: Communist Party Secretary of Xinjiang, Chen Xiaojian, reaffirmed China’s commitment alongside Pakistan to a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism and separatism during a meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari in Ürümqi. Xinjiang Governor Erkin Tuniyaz was also present at the meeting.

Chen welcomed President Zardari and recalled his earlier meeting with President Xi Jinping in Beijing in February 2025, where key agreements were signed. He noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent visit further accelerated the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Highlighting Xinjiang’s progress, Chen said the region had become a hub of prosperity and lasting peace, with its GDP surpassing 5.6 trillion yuan. He stressed that Xinjiang was addressing the root causes of extremism while promoting social development, adding that Pakistan and China share eight sister-city agreements, including between Ürümqi and Peshawar.

President Zardari praised the solidarity of the Chinese people and Xinjiang’s development, calling China-Pakistan friendship a time-tested pillar of Pakistan’s foreign policy. He reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to work with China in eliminating terrorism and extremism, while expanding cooperation in agriculture, industry, minerals, and new technologies.

The meeting was also attended by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, Sindh Energy Minister Nasir Shah, and ambassadors of both countries.