Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday extended his greetings to Chinese President Xi Jinping on his birthday.

“It is my great pleasure to extend heartiest felicitations to H.E. President Xi Jinping on his birthday,” the prime minister, who is currently on a two-day visit to Azerbaijan, wrote on Twitter.

He said under the dynamic leadership of President Xi, China had emerged as a global leader advancing international solidarity, peace and cooperation.

He said the “iron brotherhood” between China and Pakistan entered a new era of enhanced cooperation since his visit to Pakistan in 2015 and had been going from strength to strength ever since.