China reiterates readiness to work with Pakistan to make CPEC a success

ISLAMABAD: China has reiterated its readiness to work with the Pakistan government for a mutual goal of making the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a great success.

“China is ready to work with the Pakistani side to create a sound environment for the CPEC and bilateral practical cooperation to achieve mutual benefit and common development, the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad said in a statement.

Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong exchanged views on CPEC with Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar and both leaders expressed their confidence and expectation for the bright prospects of the mega project.

Ambassador Rong said that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s meeting with President Xi Jinping’s Special Representative, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Dushanbe on Friday was a good success.

China appreciated the great importance Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Pakistani government attach to China-Pakistan practical cooperation and their positive efforts to this end, the statement added.

Rong said that with the completion of the early harvest projects, the CPEC had entered a new stage of enrichment and expansion.

Agriculture, industry and social livelihood projects, which were of great concern to the PTI government, would be the focus of CPEC Phase II, he said, adding that positive progress had been made in relevant cooperation, and CPEC was right on its way towards a demonstration project of high-quality development under the Belt and Road Initiative.

As Prime Minister Khan said that the CPEC was a transformational project, he said.

Asad Umar agreed with Ambassador Rong’s remarks, saying that the PTI government had been committed to advancing CPEC, while significant progress had been made in the Gwadar Port, energy and infrastructure sectors, as well as the construction of Special Economic Zones (SEZs).

He reiterated the remarks made by the prime minister during his meeting with State Councilor Wang Yi, stressing that Pakistan would do its utmost to protect the safety of Chinese citizens and resolutely push forward the construction of the CPEC that benefited the Pakistani people and the country beyond.