ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stated that the revitalization of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will be the main topic of his meetings with Beijing authorities during his first visit to China.
On the invitation of Li Keqiang, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, PM Shehbaz Sharif has left for a two-day official visit there.
According to the spokeswoman for the Foreign Office, the high-level delegation comprises, among others, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.
The premier declared that he was “honoured to be among the first few leaders to have been invited following the historic 20th National Congress of the CPC” before leaving for Beijing.
He stated that it is anticipated that the second phase of CPEC will herald in a new era of socioeconomic development that will raise the standard of living for our people.
The premier added that the Chinese economic miracle offers many lessons.
“Pakistan and China stand united as allies and partners at a time when the globe is dealing with several problems,” he wrote.
The spokesperson added in a statement that “this would be the prime minister’s first visit to China since taking office in April 2022 and follows his meeting with President Xi Jinping in Uzbekistan on September 16.”
Following the historic 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the prime minister will be among the first international dignitaries to visit Beijing.
The spokesperson stated that after a number of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements are likely to be concluded at the 11th meeting of the CPEC Joint Cooperation Committee, the visit is also anticipated to promote the extensive bilateral cooperation agenda (JCC).
“The visit of the prime minister continues the frequent exchanges between the top leaders of Pakistan and China. In addition to meeting with President Xi Jinping, the prime minister will speak with Premier Li Keqiang at the delegation level. According to the spokeswoman, the two sides will assess their all-weather strategic cooperation partnership and discuss local and international events.
Before the Prime Minister’s arrival, Beijing was festooned with the flags of China and Pakistan, as shown in a video posted by General Manager of Digital Media Wing Muhammad Abubakar Umer.
The roads of Beijing are decorated with Pakistan 🇵🇰 & China 🇨🇳 flags ahead of PM Shehbaz Sharif’s arrival later in the day. #PMShehbazinChina #RevitalisingCPEC pic.twitter.com/8QODdIHoQf
— Abubakar Umer (@abubakarumer) November 1, 2022
Zhao Lijian, the spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said during his briefing at the International Press Center that China “warmly welcomes him and looks forward to further advancing our high-level strategic cooperation and bringing more fruitful outcomes from our friendship to the benefit of the two people” (IPC).
No matter how the domestic or international events had changed, according to Zhao Lijian, the friendship between China and Pakistan had persisted down the generations.
He continued, “Our two countries have always stood together and aided each other in the face of big natural disasters. We have always backed one another on issues pertaining to our respective major interests.
The Chinese side would also like to take this occasion, he continued, to applaud the key accomplishments of CPEC.
The spokesperson stated that the CPEC has established a milestone for China-Pakistan collaboration as a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), adding, “It has accelerated economic growth, improved people’s standard of living, and produced favourable socioeconomic repercussions in Pakistan.
“Zhao Lijian reported that the Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) for CPEC had successfully held its 11th meeting lately.
The minister assured the Chinese envoy that the government is committed to finishing the CPEC projects without delay and added that energy independence will stabilise the economy. CPEC projects will have a significant impact on Pakistan’s economy, and we are committed to completing the project on time.
According to Iqbal, the prosperity of Balochistan is correlated with the growth of Gwadar, and the current administration will finish all CPEC projects in Gwadar.
The Chinese ambassador expressed appreciation for the government’s efforts, particularly those of the minister of planning and development, and he pledged his full cooperation.
