Pakistan to continue advancing CPEC, ensure timely completion of projects: Qureshi

Foreign minister says friendship between the two countries rooted deeply in the hearts of its people

ISLAMABAD:

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Wednesday that Pakistan will continue to firmly advance the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and ensure timely completion of the corridor's related projects.

Addressing a conference on Pak-China bilateral relationship, FM Qureshi said Pakistan-China's all weather strategic cooperative partnership had become an anchor for peace and stability in the region.

"Both the countries support each other on their respective core issues. Pakistan has always upheld the ‘One-China Policy’ and supported China on Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang, Hong Kong and South China Sea issues," he said.

The foreign minister added that China had stood by Pakistan in supporting the country's key strategic, economic and developmental priorities. China has also supported Pakistan's stand on Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (​IIOJK)

"The Pakistan-China friendship is rooted deeply in the hearts and minds of the people of the two countries," the FM said. "Both the countries have the finest tradition of standing by each other through difficult times. In line with this tradition, our cooperation against Covid-19 pandemic remained exemplary."

Read PM Imran, Chinese premier reaffirm resolve to strengthen Pak-China ties

The top diplomat further maintained that China provided Pakistan over 3.5 million doses of anti-Covid vaccine as a gift.

"We are also procuring the Covid-19 vaccine on commercial basis. The National Institute of Health in Islamabad has started the local production of PakVac vaccine with the help of China," he said.

Qureshi added that Pakistan looked forward to a multifaceted relationship with China and that Pakistan's future vision was to combine infrastructure, knowledge, digital, health and green corridors to make CPEC a 'People’s Corridor of Prosperity and Progress'.

"CPEC has helped us in infrastructure development and in addressing our energy needs in the first phase," Qureshi said, adding that in the second phase the government's focus was on industrialisation, agriculture cooperation, socio-economic development and job creation."

The foreign minister further said that Pakistan prioritised three Special Economic Zones in the second phase of CPEC.

"We welcome businessmen and entrepreneurs from all countries to benefit from our investment-friendly regime and reap economic dividends from these SEZs," he added.

"Pakistan will continue to firmly advance CPEC and ensure timely completion of the corridor related projects."