File photo of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Nicolas Asfouri—AFP
President Xi Jinping on Monday reaffirmed China’s unwavering support to Pakistan, stressing that regardless of how the “international landscape” shifts, “China will always stand firmly with Pakistan.”
In a congratulatory message issued to mark the 10th anniversary of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)—a modest celebration of which was attended by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Islamabad—he vowed the neighboring nations would continue to improve, expand, and deeper their existing bilateral cooperation.
Describing CPEC as an important component of the Belt and Road Initiative, the Chinese president said Beijing would work with Islamabad to further develop it into an exemplary project of high-quality cooperation. He said both countries would similarly work to produce high-standard, sustainable and livelihood-enhancing outcomes from CPEC.
“Since its launch in 2013, China and Pakistan have been advancing CPEC under the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and have achieved a number of early harvests,” he said, maintaining that had facilitated economic and social development of Pakistan and laid a solid foundation for regional connectivity and integration. According to Xi, CPEC is a vivid testament to the all-weather friendship between China and Pakistan, while also providing an important underpinning to build an even closer relationship with shared future prosperity.
The Chinese president’s message followed a meeting between P.M. Sharif and the Chinese vice-premier, as well as an event during which the two countries signed six agreements and MOUs aimed at promoting bilateral cooperation. The first agreement concerned a joint cooperation committee for CPEC, while a second was related to establishing an experts’ exchange mechanism within the framework of the project.
A third agreement dealt with the export of dried chilies from Pakistan to China, while a fourth outlined the realignment of the Karakoram Highway Phase II project feasibility study. Additionally, a MoU was signed on an Industrial Workers’ Exchange Program through diplomatic channels, and both sides agreed to expedite the strategic ML-1 project.
Later, President Arif Alvi conferred the Hilal-e-Pakistan award upon He Lifeng in recognition of his contribution to Pak-China friendship and the promotion of CPEC. Following the conferment ceremony, Lifeng held delegation-level talks with Alvi, with both leaders agreeing that CPEC had significantly transformed Pakistan’s socioeconomic and infrastructural landscape. The Chinese official said the project was now poised to further increase Pakistan’s economic connectivity.
President Alvi, meanwhile, said the occasion called for enhanced Chinese investment in various sectors, particularly in the Special Economic Zones, to further strengthen bilateral economic cooperation. He also thanked China for “its principled stance” on India-held Kashmir and for its financial support to Pakistan in difficult times.
Also on Monday, the Bank of China opened a second branch in Islamabad, with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar claiming the renminbi would soon become an internationally adopted parallel currency. Maintaining it had already been formalized by five countries, he claimed more would follow.