BEIJING, June 23 (TNS): China is confident that Pakistan and Iran will keep intact their friendly ties, working as close partners to defuse tension in the region, as well as promoting socio-economic interest of their people.
A China’s leading news network Global Times, quoting experts said the downing of an Iranian drone by a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jet will not affect ties between the two countries.
The experts said India won’t succeed in driving a wedge between Iranand Pakistan by hyping the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
An Iranian drone allegedly on a “spying mission” was shot down by a Chinese-made PAF JF-17 Thunder fighter jet in Baluchistan’s Panjgur area, the Associate Press had reported on Tuesday.
“The downing of the drone is not an indication of cooling Pakistan-Iran relations. Although Pakistan enjoys close ties with Saudi Arabia, which is Iran’s arch rival in the Middle East, Islamabad practices an independent foreign policy, since it doesn’t follow Riyadh on many issues, including breaking off ties with Qatar and getting involved militarily in Yemen,” Hua Liming, a former Chinese ambassador to Iran, told the Global Times.
“Iran and Pakistan are neighbors and their relations have not experienced too many problems. But India is trying to make Iran believe that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, especially the construction of the Gwadar port, will also impair Iran’s interests, so the two countries might experience some friction, Hua said.
China hopes their ties remain healthy and stable since they are all friendly to China, Hua added.
