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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi left on Saturday with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad. Photo: AP
Beijing: China and Pakistan have decided to accelerate and extend the $ 50-billion China-Pakistan economic corridor to Afghanistan during Foreign Minister Wang Yi's recent visit to Islamabad, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday. Foreign Affairs.
Wang, appointed Chinese diplomat as State Councilor – a senior ranking in the Chinese political hierarchy – visited Pakistan from 7 to 9 September and spoke with the new government headed by the politician-turned-cricketer Imran Khan . His visit was aimed primarily at exchanging views with the new government and comparing his notes with Pakistan on cooperation in all areas, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang.
Asked if the new Chinese economic package was discussed while Pakistan is currently facing a severe economic crisis, he said the two sides agreed to extend the China-Pakistan economic corridor to the west.
"Both sides will advance the CPEC in the light of Pakistan's economic and social development and the needs of the people. "We will identify ways and cooperation for the CPEC. we will accelerate the industrial cooperation and livelihood projects of the people and expand the CPEC to the west and ensure that the population benefits, "said Geng.
India protested against the CPEC, a flagship project of China's Belt and Road Initiative, which crossed Pakistan's occupied Kashmir. While Geng did not specify the extension of the CPEC to "the west," Wang announced in April that he intended to extend it to Afghanistan during the first Trilateral meeting of Foreign Ministers held here.
The CPEC is originally conceived as a strategic link with highways, railways and pipeline links between Chinese Xinjiang and the Pakistani port of Gwadar. However, several projects have been extended to different provinces following allegations that all major projects would be captured by the dominant province of Punjab in Pakistan.
In the past, Prime Minister Khan accused the previous Pakistani government of depriving other provinces, particularly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, of the border with Afghanistan. "During Mr. Wang's visit, we reached a consensus on the promotion of the CPEC … The key is to accelerate industrial cooperation and projects related to people's livelihoods. To extend the CPEC to Western regions and make sure that people benefit from these projects, "said Geng.
During his visit to Pakistan, Wang said that 22 cooperation projects in Pakistan were underway in the framework of the CPEC, nine of which have been completed and 13 are under construction. Total project investment was $ 19 billion and created 70,000 new jobs, he told state management. Xinhua Press Agency.
Chinese officials said it was not usual to announce economic packages during the Foreign Minister's visit.
Calling China and Pakistan "all-time" strategic cooperation partners, Geng said on Monday that "our relations will not be influenced by changes in the domestic situation. It's as stable as a mountain. Our friendship has stood the test of international landscape and time. He is rooted in the hearts of our two people. " In apparent reference to India's concerns about the close ties between Pakistan and China, Geng said the close relations between Islamabad and Beijing would not be aimed at a third party and would be influenced by the development of relations with Pakistan. other countries.
"On the political front, they will strengthen mutual political trust, strategic communication and strongly support their mutual interests and concerns. They will have closer communication and coordination on issues of common interest, "he said. "In terms of security, both sides will strengthen their defense cooperation and strengthen exchanges between the two armies and the police. China will firmly support Pakistan in the fight against terrorism in light of its own national conditions, "said Geng.
Pakistan's new government said it would consider its relations with China as the cornerstone of its foreign policy. China will see Pakistan as a priority in neighborhood diplomacy, he added.
