Kyrgyzstan keen on joining CPEC

Envoy says Central Asian country wants to benefit from Gwadar Port

ISLAMABAD:

Kyrgyzstan is interested to join the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and benefit from the tremendous trade opportunities from Gwadar port. These were the remarks of Ambassador of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan Ulanbek Totuiaev during a seminar titled “Business, Education and Tourism Opportunities in Kyrgyzstan” organised by The Diplomatic Insight, Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies, Riphah Institute of Public Policy, Riphah International University.

The ambassador stressed that Pakistan offered tremendous opportunities to Kyrgyzstan with the development of CPEC. CPEC has been thriving lately with its second phase focusing on agriculture and industrial cooperation. “Rapidly growing Gwadar port presents a good opportunity to Central Asian countries, including Kyrgyzstan, to benefit from the region and the reach global markets. According to the ambassador, regional cooperation and trade connection between Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan through CPEC and Gwadar would help boost peace and prosperity in the region.

The Special Economic Zones (SEZs) under CPEC also provide abundant incentives. Kyrgyz investors can avail the opportunities of business and tourism in Pakistan through CPEC projects and other important landscapes of the country. The ambassador highlighted that both countries were a part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), where both states are cooperating to build regional understanding on trade, investment, security cooperation and people-to-people ties.

The envoy also highlighted that the geostrategic position of Kyrgyzstan provided excellent opportunities for regional trade and economic cooperation, as well as establishing ties in all areas of mutual interest. He detailed that the country was situated at the crossroads between Central Asia and China and further through the Karakoram Pass to Pakistan The ambassador highlighted the strong friendly relations between the two countries and noted that Pakistan was the first country to recognise the independence of Kyrgyz Republic.

In this context, it is also important to note that on December 15, Foreign Minister Ruslan Kazakbaev will arrive in Islamabad to participate in the extraordinary session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers on December 16-17. Diplomatic Insight Group Founder Chairperson Farhat Asif and Riphah Institute of Public Policy Director Rashid Aftab also spoke on the occasion. A large number of students, faculty members, and media representatives were present.

THE ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED ON THE CHINA ECONOMIC NET