Nations with different social systems, religions and cultural backgrounds can coexist in harmony, as exemplified by China and Pakistan, President Hu Jintao remarked yesterday. 

And their relationship is an important factor for promoting regional peace and stability, Hu said during a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in the Kazakh capital of Astana.

Hu congratulated Aziz on Pakistan's gaining of observer status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), saying this is not only conducive to better cooperation between Pakistan and SCO members in efforts to boost stability and development in the region, but also offers a new platform for Sino-Pakistan cooperation.

During another meeting with Mongolian President Nambaryn Enkhbayar, Hu said that both countries are ready to make joint efforts to steadily push forward bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various fields.

Hu said it is China's strategic choice to develop good-neighborly relations, based on mutual trust and peaceful coexistence with Mongolia, thereby assisting common development.

If both sides follow this path, relations between the two countries will remain vigorous and full of vitality, he said.

Hu left Astana yesterday for Scotland, Britain, for an informal meeting between Group of Eight (G8) leaders and leaders of five developing countries.

Hu just concluded a state visit to Kazakhstan and attended an SCO summit.

During his visit, Hu held talks with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev on furthering bilateral cooperation and the two leaders exchanged views on regional and world issues.

At the SCO summit on Tuesday, Hu and leaders of the other five SCO member states, namely Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, discussed issues of safeguarding peace, security and stability in the region, and promoting economic and trade cooperation between member countries.

(China Daily July 7, 2005)