China ready to synergise Pak development strategy

Spokesperson says both countries want smooth running and operation of CPEC projects

BEIJING:

China stands ready to synergise the development strategy with Pakistan to support Islamabad’s efforts for upholding economic and financial stability, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Thursday.

Spokesperson Zhao told during his regular briefing in Beijing that both the countries had agreed to carry forward traditional friendship and they would never allow any force to sabotage their strategic cooperative partnership.

The spokesperson further said that the two sides hoped to pursue high quality development of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) while maintaining the smooth running and operation of existing important projects.

“We will further deepen cooperation in industrial and other areas to boost the driving force for Pakistan’s economic development and its economic resilience,” the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said in response to a question.

Referring to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s virtual meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday, he said that the two ministers agree to strengthening “our strategic cooperative partnerships and political cooperation”.

“It is also the first official bilateral meeting after Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was sworn in,” he said. “Both agreed that China and Pakistan should carry forward our traditional friendship,” Zhao added.

He told reporters that the two foreign ministers exchanged views on further strengthening the safeguarding of safety for Chinese citizens and institutions in Pakistan during their first meeting since the new government in Pakistan came into office.

“The foreign minister of Pakistan has reiterated that the China-Pakistan friendship remained the cornerstone for Pakistan’s foreign policy and is also a strategic priority for Pakistan,” he said. “Friendship towards China remained the shared consensus in Pakistan, transcending political differences.”

Zhao Lijian remarked that China and Pakistan would deepen practical cooperation across the board. “China stands ready to synergise the development strategy with Pakistan to support Pakistan’s efforts in upholding economic and financial stability,” he added.

State Councillor Wang Yi stressed that longstanding friendship between the two friendly countries would not be changed by individual incident and “with the concerted efforts of both sides, our partnership will continue to develop with our long-term friendship,” he said.