BEIJING: Pakistan and China have been very closely coordinating on the Ukraine crisis and share a common position on the issue, calling for the de-escalation of the conflict and dialogue between the relevant parties, said Pakistan Ambassador to China, Moin ul Haque. Haque’s comment came after Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a press conference during his visit to Islamabad along with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi that China and Pakistan should strengthen coordination on international and regional issues such as Afghanistan and Ukraine. The special participation of Wang in the OIC meeting demonstrated the ironclad friendship between China and Pakistan, as the two countries not only have strong ties but also closely collaborate on international issues, he said in an exclusive interview with the Global Times. The two countries have been “very closely coordinating” on the Ukraine crisis and share a common position on the issue, the ambassador said. “Both countries’ positions are common. We are worried. We have called for the de-escalation and cessation of this conflict, and called for dialogue between the parties, Ukraine and Russia, to resolve this issue,” he said. “This is a time for mature diplomacy. Let diplomacy be at work. We should not be finger-pointing each other. It is time for solidarity and collective work,” said Haque. He mentioned that Pakistan and China are also closely coordinating at the UN forum, calling for the respect of UN principles, respect for sovereignty, and territorial integrity for all nations. Pakistan and China have a very unique relationship and strong bilateral ties, both striving for peace, development and prosperity of the entire region, said the ambassador. At the Pakistan Day Parade on March 23, Chinese-built J-10CE fighter jets also made an appearance with a first-ever flypast, which shows the importance of the defense ties between the two countries, said Haque in a speech at an event celebrating the National Day in Beijing. But he stressed that the defense collaboration between Pakistan and China is for peace and the stability of the region and not directed against any third country.