In 2008, when the Wenchuan earthquake struck China, Pakistan sent all its strategic transport planes to the disaster area as soon as possible. In order to save space on the plane, the accompanying medical team removed the seats on the plane and sat on the floor along the way. Today, thousands of Pakistani workers are working day and night with Chinese workers to build projects undertaken by China, and many touching stories have emerged.

Similarly, China has always been Pakistan's strong backing in times of need. China firmly supports Pakistan's efforts to safeguard its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. In 2010, when Pakistan was hit by devastating floods, China immediately extended a helping hand and provided all-round assistance by land and air, dispatching the largest medical rescue team in history, and sending a large-scale convoy and helicopter to carry out a rescue mission for the first time, creating a precedent in the history of China's foreign aid. At the end of 2014, after the terrorist attacks in Peshawar, China specially invited the injured Pakistani students and their families to China for recuperation, so that the young hearts of the children could feel the sincere friendship of the Chinese people.

During the recent evacuation operation in Yemen, a Chinese warship carried 176 Pakistani citizens from the port of Aden, and the Pakistani warship assisted in the evacuation of eight Chinese students from the port of Mukarla. The commander of the Pakistani warship issued an order: "As long as there are no Chinese students, our warship will not leave the port." These resounding words once again prove that the friendship between China and Pakistan is deeper than the sea.

-- Building a China-Pakistan Community with a Shared Future, Embarking on a New Journey of Win-Win Cooperation – Speech at the Pakistani Parliament (April 21, 2015)

Further reading:

China and Pakistan are geographically close to each other, with shared interests and affection. Pakistan was the first Islamic country to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, which began as early as May 21, 1951. The Chinese leader once used the phrase "higher than the mountains and deeper than the sea" to describe the unswerving friendly relations between China and Pakistan, and Pakistani friends added the phrase "two comparisons": "sweeter than honey and harder than steel."

"It is better to give up gold than to give up the friendship between China and Pakistan." In Pakistan, there is such a famous saying. After the devastating Wenchuan earthquake on May 12, 2008, then Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf visited the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan to express his cordial condolences to the Chinese people. This time, the "staunch ally of China" has done almost everything, and the Pakistani side has "used all the country's transport planes" and "removed all the tents in the country's strategic reserves", and has always refused to disclose the price of the tents - "This aid is not measured by money." When the Chinese brothers helped us in the past, did they ask us for money? ”

"The wind knows the strength of the grass, and the fire sees the real gold." China is also a strong backing for Pakistan when it needs it. In July 2010, a historic flood struck Pakistan, affecting one-fifth of the country's population for nearly three months, affecting 20 million people and causing economic losses of more than US$10 billion. China has dispatched the largest medical team to rescue people in stagnant water and high temperatures. Some people have infusions due to heat stroke, pull out the needles and start working; Someone drank 15 bottles of water a day in the heat and didn't go to the toilet all day because he was busy with rescue. In December 2014, the Pakistani Taliban attacked the Army Public School in Peshawar, killing 141 teachers and students, "even the smallest coffin was extremely heavy to lift." China immediately condemned the terrorist attack and provided assistance as soon as possible, and specially invited the injured Pakistani students and their families to go to China for recuperation in two batches, and arranged for them to visit Beijing, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Guangzhou and other places, so that they could "see China's history, culture and development, and also appreciate the deep friendship of the Chinese people for the Pakistani people."

Chinese are accustomed to calling truly reliable friends "hardcore" friends, and Pakistan will always be such "hardcore" friends. Pakistani leaders once said, "If anyone wants to know how friendly relations can be between two countries in the world, he should look at China and Pakistan." Pakistan is the country that has written "China is a staunch ally of Pakistan" in primary school textbooks, and China's only "all-weather strategic partner" is Pakistan.

"Acquaintance with Jun Chu is like returning to an old friend." Xi Jinping's state visit to Pakistan is his first visit to Pakistan. In Xi Jinping's words, although it is the first time to come to Pakistan, he is no stranger to Pakistan at all. "As soon as we set foot on this beautiful land, my colleagues and I were immersed in a sea of warmth and friendliness, as if we were back in the home of our brothers who were like brothers." During this visit, Xi Jinping, President Hussein and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan agreed to upgrade China-Pakistan relations to an "all-weather strategic cooperative partnership".

At the Pakistani Parliament, Xi Jinping affectionately told the story of China-Pakistan state-to-state exchanges and people-to-people exchanges, vividly embodying the unique friendship between China and Pakistan of "walking together forever through thick and thin", and interpreting the friendship of faith and righteousness between China and Pakistan and sharing weal and woe. At the same time, he also said that China has always viewed China-Pakistan relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, put Pakistan in a priority position in China's diplomacy, and put forward a five-point proposal, which further enriches the connotation of a China-Pakistan community with a shared future. In his speech, Xi Jinping also quoted Geng Biao, the former Chinese ambassador to Pakistan and his veteran leader, who looked to the future: "The traditional friendship between China and Pakistan will inevitably become wider and wider like the Karakoram Highway." ”