Pak PM Shehbaz reiterates support for one China policy amid Taiwan tension

Pakistan on Thursday reiterated its support for China on the sensitive Taiwan issue as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke to his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang in their first contact since the latter took charge in March.

Shehbaz congratulated Li and reiterated Pakistan's "unstinting" support to Beijing's one-China policy, as well as its stance on Tibet, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and the South China Sea, The Express Tribune newspaper, cited an official statement as saying.

"As all-weather partners and close friends, Pakistan appreciated China's peaceful development as a positive factor of international peace and stability, and confident that China will continue to achieve milestones on its journey towards modernisation and rejuvenation," the Pakistani prime minister said.

The Pakistani premier also thanked his Chinese counterpart for China's "principled position" on the disputed Jammu and Kashmir issue.

Li, for his part, "praised Pakistan's support for China and reaffirmed his country's