No scaling back of CPEC

BEIJING: Pakistan and China on Saturday reiterated that there will be no change in the number of projects planned under the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiative. “There is no change at all. If there were, it would only be to increase, not decrease the number of projects,” Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou told reporters in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People following Prime Minister Imran Khan’s talks with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. “However, the scope of the project would increase and will tilt in favour of people’s livelihoods,” he added. Kong said China will provide Pakistan with economic aid but more talks will take place to fix the details. “During the visit, it has been made clear that in principle the Chinese government will provide necessary support and assistance to Pakistan in tiding over the current economic difficulties,” he said. “As for specific measures to be taken, the relevant authorities of the two sides will have detailed discussions,” he added. Earlier at a meeting, Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang underscored their commitment for a stronger strategic cooperative partnership and explore new avenues for practical collaboration between the two countries. The two leaders expressed satisfaction over the multi-faceted bilateral cooperative relations and expressed satisfaction at the progress of CPEC, which is a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). They expressed complete confidence on the future development of CPEC and hoped that the process of industrial development of Pakistan would accelerate with the launch of special economic zones and the industrial parks. Sharing his vision of ‘Naya Pakistan’, Prime Minister Imran Khan congratulated Premier Li Keqiang on successful anti-corruption drive, poverty alleviation, and modernization of China based on innovation and information technology. He said China’s phenomenal success in the last 40 years which resulted in huge socio-economic uplift of the people offered a great example for the developing countries. Premier Li Keqiang said that China and Pakistan enjoyed high level of political trust and close cooperation. He expressed the confidence that the visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to China would further strengthen solid relations between the two countries. “China is willing to work with your government to push forward solid relation with Pakistan,” he said. Premier Li remarked that China viewed Pakistan as a high priority on its diplomatic agenda and said that his government would engage in close cooperation with Pakistan’s government in different areas. He also recalled his meeting with Imran Khan during his visit to Pakistan in 2013. Prime Minister Imran Khan said that CPEC was just an idea in 2013 but it was now on the ground and it had caught imagination of the people of Pakistan. He termed the CPEC framework a great opportunity for both the countries to progress and attract the investment, adding, “The CPEC will give us opportunity to raise standard of living and economic growth rate.” The two leaders expressed their commitment to maintain close engagement on issues of regional and global importance. They agreed that the bilateral relationship had withstood the test of time, notwithstanding changes in domestic, regional and global situations. Pakistan and China on Saturday also signed over a dozen agreements and documents to further deepen the bilateral cooperation in multiple spheres, including economy, agriculture, law enforcement and technology. The documents signed at a ceremony at the Great Hall of the People encompassed the fields of economy, science and technology, agriculture, poverty reduction, innovation and drug trafficking besides establishing joint research center on earth sciences and working group on social and livelihood affairs. The ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang as ministers and officials concerned from both the sides signed the documents Both the countries signed agreements to enhance agriculture and technical cooperation, cooperation between Islamabad Police and Beijing Police, Higher Education Commission of Pakistan and Science Academy of China and between Pakistan Meteorological Department and Chinese Academy of Sciences. The two countries signed MoUs for cooperation on forestry, earth sciences and poverty alleviation. The two sides also signed letters on foreign ministers’ strategic dialogue mechanism to make overall planning and coordinate cooperation in various fields. Published in Daily Times, November  4th 2018.