Pakistan's ambassador to China said Tuesday at a forum held in Beijing that the country would support China in its increasingly heated dispute with the Philippines over Huangyan Island.

The veteran diplomat Masood Khan was attending an ambassador's forum hosted by China Women's University as part of the university's First Pakistan Culture Week.

In response to a student's question regarding Pakistan's position in relation to its old ally China regarding the Huangyan Island issue, Khan said: "Our position is: We are with China."

The ambassador also answered students' questions on a variety of subjects, including his favorite food and China's one-child policy.

Khan hailed the long-standing relationship between China and Pakistan and expressed his gratitude for Chinese assistance during times of hardship, particularly in the aftermath of the earthquake which rocked Kashmir in 2005 and the floods which devastated the country in 2010. On both occasions, China was quick to respond with the provision of relief funds and materials as well as medical teams.

Khan also took the opportunity to debunk certain misconceptions the students may have had about Pakistan. He explained that although Pakistan is a Muslim nation, women still have opportunities to work in sectors such as banking and both local and national politics. He added that, far from hiding themselves in black garments, women occupying the higher social strata wear beautiful modern dresses, and in an additional cultural aside, he commented that Pakistani weddings are usually celebrated for 7 days.

The ambassador revealed at the forum that his favorite food is "Doufu" (bean curd) and said that as his diplomatic career began in China, Beijing is his favorite Chinese city. He also defended China's controversial one-child policy calling it a wise move on the part of the Chinese government.

"It is a big sacrifice the Chinese people have made," he said. "But it is a wise policy by the Chinese government. Though it has disadvantages such as [the fact that]a child may want brothers and sisters and there's the problem of an aging population, if China didn't adopt this policy, the fast- growing economy and the status of second-largest economy in the world could not be possible."

He also said that a large population could be either a liability or a great asset, depending on the education and training level of the people. But he commented that, due to social and religious reasons, Pakistan has been unable to control its population of 180 million.

China Women's University's First Pakistan Culture Week, running from May 7 to 11, will also feature a picture exhibition, movie and music shows and a food festival for cultural exchanges. The top woman university was founded in 1949 by a number of China's revolutionary veterans, including Madam Soong Ching Ling and Deng Yinchao.

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