Chinese Premier Pledges to Strengthen Cooperation with Pakistan

During his first visit to Pakistan as Prime Minister , Li Qiang will attend a meeting of heads of state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the capital Islamabad.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Li Qiang told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on October 14 that: "China is willing to cooperate with Pakistan, focusing on establishing an upgraded version of CPEC."

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship project of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative, with more than $65 billion committed to projects in Pakistan by 2022. Officially announced in 2013, the 3,000-km infrastructure project aims to connect landlocked western China to the Arabian Sea via Pakistan's deep-water Gwadar Port.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on October 15. Photo: Xinhua

Earlier, the two prime ministers attended the inauguration of the new Beijing-funded Gwadar International Airport. The Chinese premier described the airport as an important facility for Gwadar Port to become a regional connectivity hub and an important symbol of the continued building of CPEC.

Gwadar Port is located on the southwestern coast of Pakistan's Balochistan province, near the Iranian border. "We aim to accelerate the construction of major projects in areas such as railways, roads and ports, and enhance industrial integration," Li said.

He also pledged to "strengthen practical cooperation in agriculture, mining, information technology and energy, ensuring that the results of China-Pakistan cooperation will benefit the people as a whole".

Mr. Sharif said Gwadar International Airport is a “representative symbol” of friendship between Pakistan and China, and the new facility will “fully give play to the central functions” of Gwadar Port, bringing “unprecedented” development opportunities to Pakistan.

Later in the day, Li Qiang met with Pakistani military leaders and told them that China hopes to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation to jointly safeguard peace and stability.

Pakistan has sought to step up security for thousands of Chinese workers in the country following a wave of violence targeting Chinese nationals and major projects under the China-backed Belt and Road Initiative.

"We hope Pakistan will continue to create a favorable business environment for Chinese enterprises and ensure absolute safety for Chinese personnel, organizations and projects in Pakistan," Li Qiang told Sharif.

Li Qiang's visit is the latest high-level exchange this year as China and Pakistan celebrate the 73rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Ngoc Anh (according to SCMP)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/thu-tuong-trung-quoc-cam-ket-tang-cuong-hop-tac-voi-pakistan-ve-an-ninh-va-kinh-te-post316956.html