Pakistan's president sends Spring Festival greetings

Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain extended Spring Festival greetings to the Chinese people Tuesday.

"On behalf of the Pakistani government and people, I wish to extend my best wishes and warmest congratulations to the people of China on the occasion of the Chinese New Year celebration," Hussain said.

The Spring Festival, also known as the Lunar Chinese New Year, falls on Feb 16 this year.

"As close neighbors linked by mountains and rivers, China and Pakistan have a lips-and-teeth relationship. We are ‘iron brothers’, all-weather strategic cooperative partners," the Pakistani president said.

The Pakistan-China friendship is higher than mountains, deeper that oceans, stronger than steel, sweeter than honey and engaged in all-round cooperation, setting a shining example of friendly state-to-state relations, he said.

"In 2017, China played a leading role in the reform of global governance, made great progress in building a community of shared destiny with Pakistan," he said, adding the success of the 19th Communist Party of China National Congress marks the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

With the joint efforts of both sides, the construction of China Pakistan Economic Corridor has been proceeding smoothly. Pakistan-China friendship and people-to-people contact are firmly consolidated through frequent cultural exchange and cooperation, he said.

"I sincerely hope that under the great leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Communist Party of China, China will further flourish in the coming new year and our brotherly friendship will be further strengthened in 2018," he added.