Pakistan proud of friendship with China: Pakistani Foreign Ministry

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan considers China as an all-weather strategic cooperative partner and is proud of its friendship with China, spokesperson for the Pakistani Foreign Ministry Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in Thursday's weekly press briefing.

When asked about U.S. State Department Counselor Derek Chollet's recent statement regarding Pakistan-China relations, the spokesperson said that Pakistan, as a sovereign state, exercises the right to choose its economic partners from around the globe on mutually beneficially basis.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that China has been a consistent, generous and steadfast friend that has stood by Pakistan for the last several decades and has always come to Pakistan's assistance in times of need.