Pakistan-China to safeguard mutual interests in tackling global challenges: Weidong

China’s Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong has termed Pakistan-China friendship “unbreakable” and said that the two sides had always stood by each other in hard times and will continue to act “collectively” to protect their mutual interest in tackling global challenges.

“The leadership of both sides has agreed to continue the mutual understanding through supporting traditional friendship to promote peace in the region,” he said in an exclusive interview with PTV News.

He said that China and Pakistan, linked by mountains and rivers, have enjoyed a time-honoured friendship. “We are true friends who stand by each other in challenging times, and good brothers who share weal and woe,” he added.

Weidong said that the China-Pakistan friendship is forged by the personal commitment of the leaders of the two countries and nurtured by the two peoples.

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“This precious friendship has remained rock-solid. Seventy-two years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China and Pakistan have always trusted and supported each other, and stood firmly side by side. In recent years, facing changes in the international landscape and major natural disasters, our two countries have firmly safeguarded shared interests, showing an unbreakable ironclad friendship,” he maintained.

Replying to a question, he said both governments have decided to cooperate with each other and develop the agriculture, industry and transport sectors.

Although, investment and cooperation will be expanded at the national level, marginalised and less-developed areas will get priority, he added.

The Chinese diplomat said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an all-encompassing project that is the earliest and broadest and delivers the most visible benefits.

“Ten years since its start, 36 projects have been completed or are now under construction. They have brought 25.4 billion US dollars of direct investment to Pakistan. Many projects under CPEC, including Gwadar port and infrastructure, energy and industry projects, have important and positive impacts on Pakistan’s development,” he pointed out.

He said that China and Pakistan were the most trustworthy good neighbours, good friends and good brothers to each other.

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“Over the past decade, as an important pioneering project of the BRI, CPEC has achieved fruitful results and become a new benchmark for the friendship between China and Pakistan,” he added.

The CPEC projects “are flourishing all across Pakistan”, making a “tangible contribution” to the national development of the country and to regional connectivity as well, he mentioned.

“Take Gwadar Port as an example… it has turned from a small fishing village to a regional transport hub, becoming the first-ever port logistics corridor in the region,” he added.

He said that the Eastbay Expressway is already open for traffic, and construction of the new Gwadar International Airport will be fully completed. “Construction has already started for Gwadar Free Zone North. Many livelihood and agricultural technology companies have started operations, and a convention, exhibition and trading centre is already set up. The number of ships docking at Gwadar Port continues to grow. Their business includes agricultural products, fertilisers and livelihood products.”

The minister said that China has provided solar PV systems to the people in Gwadar, which has significantly improved their well-being. “The desalination plant, after putting into use, will effectively alleviate local shortages of fresh water. The China-aided Gwadar Port Hospital has provided much-needed healthcare and medicines to Gwadar. The Gwadar Technical and Vocational Institute trains more than 1,000 technical professionals every year, providing boosts for the development of Gwadar and Balochistan.

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He added that the newly-built Faqeer Primary School adds more educational resources and provides much easier access to education for local children, who now have spacious, well-lit classrooms to learn in. “Their expectation for a better life and desire to change their future is no longer just a dream.”

To another query, he replied that the recent visit of He Lifeng, the Chinese vice premier and special presidential envoy, reflects the importance the two countries attached to deepen their bilateral ties further.

Weidong further said that today’s world is marked by volatility and turbulence and changes unseen in a century are unfolding at a faster pace.

“China and Pakistan need to deepen strategic cooperation, overcome challenges together, and strive for common development. China stands ready to work with Pakistan to implement the important consensus of our leaders, deepen strategic mutual trust, further our traditional friendship, and expand exchanges and cooperation, so as to promote our all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and accelerate the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era,” he further said.

(With additional input from APP)