China on Wednesday urged Pakistan to engage in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project as the two countries hold strategic dialogue here amid China’s concerns over Pakistan’s deep economic crisis and increasing attacks on Pakistan. He called for “maximum” efforts to protect thousands of Chinese workers. citizens of that country.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who are in China on a four-day visit, co-chaired the 5th Foreign Minister-level China-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue.
According to the state-run Xinhua News Agency, Wang told Dar that China expects Pakistan to continue to do its best to ensure the security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in the country, and relieve the anxiety of Chinese companies and personnel. He said he is doing so.
Repeated attacks by Pakistani militants on Chinese personnel working on the $60 billion CPEC project are of great concern to China.
In March, five Chinese nationals and one Pakistani were killed in a terrorist attack on a vehicle belonging to a Chinese company’s Das hydropower project in Khyber Pakhtankhwa province.
Dar said Pakistan is committed to bringing the planners, financiers and perpetrators of this heinous attack to justice. He added that Pakistan will do its best to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and institutions in the country.
Pakistan has announced that it has formed a 12,000-strong paramilitary force to protect Chinese workers.
Wang pledged support to cash-strapped Pakistan and said China remains determined to deepen cooperation with its all-weather allies.
The two countries pledged to strengthen practical cooperation in various fields, but did not provide details, Xinhua reported.
Wang pointed out that China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperation partners.
He said Pakistan has long adhered to the “one China” principle and freely provided valuable assistance to China on issues pertaining to China’s core interests.
China also said it firmly supports Pakistan in safeguarding its national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and playing a greater role in international and regional affairs.
He said China will spare no effort to promote the construction of an upgraded version of CPEC.
India has lodged a protest with China over the ongoing construction of CPEC in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Prime Minister Dar said that friendly relations between Pakistan and China are the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy, adding that Islamabad adheres to the one-China principle and firmly supports China without hesitation on all issues pertaining to China’s core interests. He added that he looked forward to further deepening bilateral practical cooperation in various fields. .
Speaking at a joint press conference with Wang in Beijing after the meeting, Dar said the two sides agreed to accelerate implementation of the ML-1 rail line project, Gwadar port development and the second phase of the Karakoram Expressway realignment. . The two sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, mining, minerals, energy, IT and industrial fields, he said.
Referring to Afghanistan, he said both Pakistan and China agree that a peaceful, stable, united, safe and secure Afghanistan is the cornerstone of regional development, connectivity and prosperity.
“We are concerned about the continued presence of terrorist organizations operating in Afghanistan and urge the Afghan Transitional Government to ensure that it has no credibility against such elements who use Afghan soil to threaten the peace and stability of neighboring countries. We urge them to take verifiable action.”
According to previous reports, the two countries will comprehensively consider bilateral relations, including economic and trade cooperation, during the strategic dialogue. High-level exchanges and visits. Upgrading CPEC’s future connectivity initiatives and geopolitical landscape.
Mr. Dar also met with Minister Liu Jianchao of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC) and discussed accelerating CPEC projects.
The two leaders also discussed accelerating progress on the delayed CPEC project, upgrading the Karachi-Peshawar railway project, improving Gwadar Port, which is managed by a Chinese company, as well as plans to realign the Karakoram Expressway that connects the two countries. .
