Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chinese President Xi discuss ways to improve bilateral ties

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China have agreed to strengthen bilateral economic and commercial relations, including the full realisation of the potential offered by the Phase-II of the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement.

During a telephonic conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Imran Khan lauded the successful, timely and high-quality implementation of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects and welcomed Chinese investments in the CPEC Special Economic Zones.

PM Imran stressed that the early start of work on the ML-1 railway project would complement Pakistan’s geo-economics vision for national and regional development, said a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday.

Both the leaders also agreed to strengthen Pakistan-China cooperation.

Advertisement

The Prime Minister congratulated President Xi on the centenary of the Communist Party of China, the unprecedented victory in the Chinese people’s battle to eradicate absolute poverty, and appreciated China’s stellar development in four decades of reform and opening up

— Prime Minister's Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) October 26, 2021

PM Imran appreciated China’s successful containment of the Covid-19 pandemic and relief and assistance measures for the developing countries, including the vaccine cooperation with Pakistan.

He appreciated China’s role in combating climate change and briefed President Xi on Pakistan’s wide-ranging measures for climate change mitigation and adaptation, including the ‘Ten Billion Tree Tsunami’ initiative.

PM Imran and Chinese President Xi deliberated over the current situation in Afghanistan. They called on the international community to provide humanitarian and economic assistance to the people of Afghanistan to help them rebuild their country.

The premier also renewed his invitation to President Xi to visit Pakistan at his early convenience.

Chinese President Xi told PM Imran that the world was undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, with more turbulence and risks.

Under such circumstances, he called on the two countries to stand together firmly and push forward the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two sides and build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era.

The Chinese president also noted that the two sides should strengthen counter-terrorism and security cooperation.