Beijing, Sep 7 (Xinhua) Chinese President Hu Jintao Sunday congratulated Pakistan’s president-elect Asif Ali Zardari and pledged to maintain an “all weather friendship” with Islamabad. In a message to Zardari on his election victory, President Hu said the two countries are neighbours joined by common mountains and rivers and have developed an all-weather friendship.

“The friendship is in the real interests of the two peoples and makes active contributions to peace, stability and development of the region and the world as a whole,” he said.

China is willing to join hands with Pakistan to carry forward the traditional friendship, to jointly create a bright future, to promote the China-Pakistan strategic cooperative partnership to a new level, Hu added.