Chinese President Xi congratulates Shehbaz Sharif on his election as Pakistan’s 24th Prime Minister

Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Shehbaz Sharif on his election as Pakistan’s 24th Prime Minister on Sunday.

In a statement, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed confidence that under the leadership of PM-elect Shehbaz and Pakistan’s new government, and the united efforts of all sectors of Pakistan, the country 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.

President Xi stressed that China and Pakistan should continue their traditional friendship, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and jointly build an upgraded version of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

The Chinese president expressed hope to 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 Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

On Sunday, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shehbaz became the 24th elected prime minister of the country after he defeated rival candidate, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PT)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) lawmaker, Omar Ayub Khan, after obtaining 201 votes in the lower house of the parliament.