China assures PM of support to stabilise Pakistan financially

The Chinese leadership assured Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of their continued support to Pakistan for stabilising its financial situation, the Chinese state media reported on Wednesday.

Quoting China's President Xi Jinping after his meeting with visiting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the media reports said that both the countries should move forward more effectively with the construction of their economic corridor.

Shehbaz and Xi met at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing and agreed to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

China and Pakistan should move forward more effectively with the construction of their economic corridor, as well as accelerate the construction of infrastructure for the Gwadar Seaport, the state media reported.

During the day, Shehbaz, who was on a two-day official visit to China, along with a high-level delegation, also held separate talks with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and National Peoples Congress (NPC) Standing Committee Chairman Li Zhanshu.

During their meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz and President Xi reaffirmed their mutual commitment to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and agreed to launch the early harvest projects under its framework.

Xi assured Shehbaz of China’s continued support for Pakistan’s sustainable economic projects, including the Main Line-1 (ML-1) rail track. They agreed to “launch the ML-1 as an early harvest project under the CPEC framework”.

Both the leaders acknowledged the need for a mass-transit project in Karachi and agreed to finalise all formalities for the early launch of the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR).

Shehbaz thanked Xi for China’s invaluable assistance to Pakistan’s flood relief efforts. On the occasion, Xi announced an additional assistance of 500 million RMB to support Pakistan’s flood relief efforts.

There was complete unanimity of views between the two leaders. They agreed to strengthen multilateral cooperation in diverse area. They appreciated the signing of a number of bilateral agreements during the prime minister’s visit.

Read PM to discuss CPEC in maiden visit to China today

During their talks, the two leaders reviewed the progress on the bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and global issues, said a statement issued in Islamabad.

The two leaders discussed cooperation across a range of issues, including defence, trade and investment, agriculture, health, education, green energy, science and technology, and disaster preparedness.

They exchanged views on the rapid transformation in the international environment, which had exacerbated economic challenges for developing countries.

They affirmed their shared belief in dialogue and cooperation, based on equality and mutual benefit as critical for global peace and prosperity.

They agreed that contemporary challenges like climate change, health pandemics, and growing inequalities needed unqualified cooperation among states, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

Shehbaz strongly emphasised that Pakistan-China friendship enjoyed complete consensus across the political spectrum in Pakistan and was a model of inter-state relations.

Paying tribute to President Xi’s leadership, the prime minister said that Pakistan drew inspiration from China’s socio-economic development and national resolve to the country’s progress and prosperity.

Shehbaz and Xi also discussed key issues, pertaining to the region, including the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and in Afghanistan.

Both leaders acknowledged that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan would promote regional security and economic development and agreed that CPEC’s extension to Afghanistan would strengthen regional connectivity initiatives.

Shehbaz congratulated Xi on his re-election as the general secretary of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). He extended a warm invitation to President Xi for visiting Pakistan, which the latter accepted.

Earlier, upon his arrival at the Great Hall of the People, the prime minister was warmly received and given the guard of honour. He also held talks with his Chinese counterpart, Li Keqiang.

Later they held delegation-level talks in which the two sides discussed bilateral matters as well as ways to strengthen mutual cooperation. Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said in a tweet that the two leaders had a consensus on the early completion and expansion of the CPEC projects.

Also at the Great Hall of the People, Shehbaz called on Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress Li Zhanshu and discussed with him the bilateral matters and mutual cooperation.

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Both leaders acknowledged that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan would promote regional security and economic development and agreed that CPEC’s extension to Afghanistan would strengthen regional connectivity initiatives.

Shehbaz congratulated Xi on his re-election as the general secretary of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). He extended a warm invitation to President Xi for visiting Pakistan, which the latter accepted.

Earlier, upon his arrival at the Great Hall of the People, the prime minister was warmly received and given the guard of honour. He also held talks with his Chinese counterpart, Li Keqiang.

Later they held delegation-level talks in which the two sides discussed bilateral matters as well as ways to strengthen mutual cooperation. Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said in a tweet that the two leaders had a consensus on the early completion and expansion of the CPEC projects.

Also at the Great Hall of the People, Shehbaz called on Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress Li Zhanshu and discussed with him the bilateral matters and mutual cooperation.