Pakistan and China pledged to expand economic cooperation and investment under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a flagship program of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, officials said.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad on Thursday. The two sides agreed to launch new projects through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC, a flagship program of the Belt and Road Initiative, a Pakistani government statement said.
What did the statement say?
The statement further highlighted China’s willingness to support Pakistan in ‘safeguarding’ its national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and fight against terrorism. The statement further suggested that both sides join hands in a bid to safeguard the multilateral trading system and oppose ‘unilateral bullying’.
The statement further underscored China’s willingness to work with Pakistan across the Industry, agriculture and mining sectors to create a safe, efficient and convenient business environment. The two nations also plan to deepen cooperation in the realm of cybersecurity.
What is China’s Belt and Road Initiative?
The countries did not immediately share details of the proposed projects. Called “One Belt, One Road” in Chinese, the Belt and Road Initiative has built power plants, roads, railroads and ports around the world and deepened China’s relations with Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. It is a major part of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s push for China to play a larger role in global affairs.
Beijing has invested billions of dollars in Pakistan through CPEC, building roads, power plants and rail links to connect China’s western Xinjiang region with the Arabian Sea port of Gwadar in southwest Pakistan, where some Chinese have been attacked by insurgents in recent years. The foreign ministers vowed to deepen collaboration in science, technology, industry and agriculture.
Wang also urged Pakistan to ensure the safety of Chinese workers and engineers, who have come under attack by separatists in Balochistan province and elsewhere in recent years. Pakistan already has increased security for Chinese working on CPEC-related projects. China has long been one of Pakistan’s key allies and financial backers, especially as Islamabad struggles with a prolonged economic crisis.
The meeting came a day after Wang and Dar travelled to Kabul for a trilateral dialogue with Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers on political and economic cooperation. Wang’s stop in Pakistan also followed a visit to neighbouring India earlier this week, where he held talks aimed at stabilising strained relations between the two Asian giants.