The China-Pakistan friendship is a model of good neighborly relations based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence.

Salman Bashir, Pakistani ambassador to China, was quoted as saying in his article carried on Monday's China Daily as Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf started a five-day state visit to China on Sunday.

Bashir said the China-Pakistan friendship, often characterized as "all-weather" and "time-tested", is based on complete mutual trust and understanding and rooted in the minds of the two peoples.

The friendship has matured into a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace and development in the past years, said Bashir.

He said Musharraf's current visit marks the beginning of the year-long celebrations of the 55th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, and the leaderships, governments and peoples of the two countries are determined to further bilateral friendship and cooperation and invigorate bilateral relations.

He said the two countries, as close neighbors linked by geography, history, culture and shared values, are both interested in promoting peace and stability in the region and world, and equally committed to the socio-economic development of their peoples.

He recalled the Declaration on Directions on Bilateral Cooperation signed during Musharraf's visit to Beijing in 2003 and the agreement on a decision to launch the free trade negotiations reached during Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's China visit in 2004.

Besides, the historic Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Good Neighborly Relations was signed during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to Pakistan in 2005.

He said "These important exchanges of visits of the leaders of the two countries have set the direction for further strengthening China-Pakistan relations in the 21st century."

"China and Pakistan together will continue to traverse the path of economic development and work for the promotion of peace and stability in the region." said Bashir.

He said Musharraf's visit will "constitute another landmark in the glorious history" of bilateral relations.

Source: Xinhua