Beijing - Chinese President Hu Jintao praised his country's infrastructure projects in Pakistan on Tuesday, as he and Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani reaffirmed the traditional close friendship between the two nations. Hu said China wanted to "join hands with Pakistan to further enhance mutual trust at strategic level" and "deepen cooperation in all dimensions," the official Xinhua news agency reported.
"We are glad to witness the smooth progress of a number of major cooperative projects under the joint efforts of both sides, such as the Neelum-Jhelum hydro-electric project and the Karakorum Highway (KKH) upgrading project," Hu was quoted as telling Gilani.
A free-trade agreement on services, signed earlier this year, "opened up broad prospect for bilateral trade and economic cooperation," he said.
Pakistan and China "always shared mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual support and mutual assistance no matter how the international situation and their domestic conditions changed," Hu was quoted as saying.
Hu praised the "consistent effort to uphold China-Pakistan friendship" by Gilani, who is making his first visit to China since becoming prime minister in March.
"I appreciate your comment that no matter how the international situation has changed, the people of China and Pakistan are always joined in hearts and hands," Hu was quoted as saying.
Gilani also met Chinese officials in charge of overseas investment, coal mining and water conservation on Tuesday, the second day of his four-day visit, the agency said.
He was also scheduled to meet Premier Wen Jiabao and other Chinese leaders, and to observe Wednesday's meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a Central Asian security grouping.
Before leaving Pakistan, Gilani said his visit would promote economic and defence cooperation between Pakistan and China as well as strengthen cultural and social relations.
China is Pakistan's main military equipment supplier, and has helped the nuclear-armed Muslim nation to develop several major infrastructure projects.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization was founded in 2001 to enhance security cooperation between its six member states China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Mongolia, India, Iran and Pakistan are observers of the organization.
