BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on Sunday congratulated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on his election as prime minister of Pakistan.
President Xi Jinping expressed confidence that under the leadership of Shehbaz and Pakistan’s new government, and the united efforts of all sectors of Pakistan would be able to make new and greater achievements in the cause of national development and progress, according to the state-run news agency Xinhua.
The Chinese President stressed that China and Pakistan should continue their traditional friendship, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, jointly build an upgraded version of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), continue to deepen their all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, and create more well-being for the two peoples.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang of the State Council also sent a congratulatory message to the newly-elected premier. Shehbaz Sharif was elected as the prime minister for the second time after bagging 201 votes in the National Assembly earlier in the day. The magic number to clinch the office of prime minister was 169 votes. After the vote count, the Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq announced that Shehbaz obtained 201 votes while his opponent, PTI’s Omar Ayub, got 92 votes.
