Close allies, China and Pakistan have pledged to further firm up their "all weather" ties by promoting the USD 46 billion economic corridor, coinciding with a rare simultaneous visits of both President and Prime Minister of Pakistan to the communist nation.

President Xi Jinping met with his Pakistani counterpart Mamnoon Hussain today in the river town of Wuzhen in Zhejiang Province, pledging to promote the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and stronger cooperation in all areas.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Second World Internet Conference, which began today and will run until December 18.

Coincidentally, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif too was in China to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in which New Delhi and Islamabad are set to become regular members. The two are currently observers in the six member security grouping.

According to Pakistan's official media, Sharif left for Islamabad yesterday after speaking at the SCO.

President Hussain arrived in Wuzhen yesterday to take part in World Internet Conference.

Though Pakistani leaders are frequent visitors to China considering the close strategic ties between the two countries, it was rare to see both the President and Prime Minister visiting the country around the same time.

In his meeting with Hussain, Xi recalled his trip to Islamabad in April, during which both countries upgraded ties to an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and agreed to form a "1+4" cooperation structure with CPEC at the centre, with Gwadar Port, transportation infrastructure, energy and industrial cooperation as the four key areas to achieve win-win results, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

China is going ahead with the CPEC project connecting both the countries depute protests from India as it goes through the Pakistan adminstered Kashmir (PaK).

In his speech at the SCO yesterday, Sharif also referred to CPEC which he said will be a "resounding success".

"We are ready to make joint efforts with Pakistan to enrich the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, and explore more substantial cooperation," Xi told Hussain.

He called for high-level contact between both countries to continue, as well as exchanges among the two governments, parliaments, parties and armed forces. (Agencies)