China and Pakistan should support and promote multilateralism and work together to maintain the global free trade system with the World Trade Organization as its core, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday.

Wang made the remarks at a joint news conference after his talk with visiting Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif.

Asif is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization foreign ministers meeting on Tuesday.

China will work with Pakistan to take a scientific and orderly approach to promote the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to achieve economic and social effects and benefit local people, Wang said.

He noted that China would like to help Pakistan strengthen its anti-terrorism and security capabilities to provide a guarantee for bilateral economic cooperation and common development.

China and Pakistan have greatly coordinated and cooperated under the framework of the SCO, and will push forward communication and collaboration, the minister said.

Pakistan became a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in June last year. Wang said that China and Pakistan will work with other member states to build a cooperative platform to safeguard regional stability and promote common development.

The all-weather strategic cooperation between China and Pakistan is an example for building a new type of international relations, Wang said.

Both sides will give priority to develop China-Pakistan relations, continue to support each other’s core and major interests, and promote building a close community with a shared future, he added.

Asif said that Pakistan is willing to enhance communication with China at all levels, promote major cooperation programs and deepen bilateral relations.

He also said that Pakistan is happy to see the informal leaders meeting between China and India, believing it will play a positive role in regional peace and improvement of relations among regional countries.