Shehbaz Sharif says Pak-China friendship will not tolerate any kind of obstacle in its way n Second phase of CPEC will feature B2B investment in agriculture, IT n Islamabad, Beijing ink six MoUs and agreements to promote ties n Chinese vice-premier He Lifeng reads special message of President Xi Jinping n Congratulates people of Pakistan on completion of first decade of CPEC n He Lifeng conferred on Hilal-i-Pakistan Award.
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and China Monday expressed their firm resolve to continue their cooperation for further developing CPEC as a high-quality demonstrable project of Belt and Roads Initiative.
These views were expressed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Vice Premier of the State Council of China He Lifeng during their speeches in a special ceremony held in Islamabad to celebrate the completion of 1st Decade of CPEC.
Addressing the event, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Vice Premier He Lifeng paid rich tribute to CPEC for its positive contribution to Pakistan's socio economic development, and progress and prosperity of the peoples of the two countries.
They underscored that as the flagship project of President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative, CPEC has transformed Pakistan's economic landscape by removing infrastructure bottlenecks and eliminating power shortages.
The leadership of Pakistan and China also appreciated the endeavours of Pakistani and Chinese experts, engineers and workers for their meritorious contribution to timely completion of all CPEC projects in Pakistan. At the occasion, Vice Premier He Lifeng also read a special message of President Xi Jinping, congratulating the government and people of Pakistan on the completion of the first Decade of CPEC.
High-level leadership attended the event from Pakistan and China, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Xi Jinping's Special Representative, and the Vice Premier of the State Council of China, Mr. He Lifeng.
Senior Ministers of China and Pakistan, high ranking officials from both countries, and corporate executives of leading Chinese companies working in Pakistan also participated in the event. To mark the significance of the occasion, a special Postal Stamp, Commemorative Coin and First Day Cover, were also issued. Both sides also unveiled a first Decade of CPEC memento capturing the achievements made and the futuristic vision of CPEC. During the event, special performances were organised to display multiple facets of Pakistan’s pluralistic and progressive culture, and to highlight civilizational affinity and fraternal ties between Pakistan and China. It may be recalled that Pakistan and China have kicked off CPEC projects in 2013, after the visit of the Chinese Premier to Pakistan. Under the rubric of CPEC, the two countries initiated and completed multiple projects in the past ten years in the energy, transport infrastructure, port, airport development and digital connectivity. CPEC brought huge dividends to Pakistan as manifested in the creation of over 200,000 jobs, addition of 8000 MW power to national grid, building of 510 kilometers of highways and 932 kilometers of road network, and laying of 820-kilometer long optical fiber line. Under Phase-II of CPEC, both countries have expanded cooperation to new areas including rural revitalization, agricultural development, industrialization, green development and science and technology.
‘CPEC PHASE-II’
Pakistan and China on Monday signed six documents that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said would further enhance bilateral cooperation and help undertake the second phase of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) under a new model. Held at the PM House, the signing ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Shehbaz and Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng, who, along with a delegation, is visiting here to attend the 10th-anniversary celebrations of CPEC.
Both countries signed document on the joint cooperation committee on CPEC; MoU on establishing an export exchange mechanism within the framework of CPEC; a protocol of phytosanitary requirements for the export of dry chilies from Pakistan to China and a Document on the final report on the feasibility study of realignment of KKH Phase-II.
Both sides also signed through diplomatic channels an MoU on the industrial workers exchange program as well as minutes of the 21st conference of a technical committee to promote the strategic ML-1 project. The prime minister, in his remarks at the signing ceremony, expressed pleasure over the signing of documents and thanked Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng for visiting Pakistan to celebrate 10 years of CPEC. He recalled that 10 years ago, CPEC was signed between that time Prime Minister Nawaz and President Xi Jinping and implementation was started within no time.
“Today we can claim that under CPEC above $25 billion investment took place in power, road, hydel power, and public transport. Now we are entering the second phase. Today, we signed certain important documents which will further enhance cooperation and undertake the second phase of CPEC under a new model,” the PM said. He said the second phase of CPEC would feature the B2B investment in agriculture and information technology to enable Pakistan to export its products according to Chinese standards and requirements. The prime minister also thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping for sending his special envoy to Pakistan and showing solidarity for people-to-people friendship and showing to the world that both countries were bound in a great and unique relationship.
‘PAKISTAN ABSOLUTELY READY TO CONTRIBUTE’
“We are all-weather friends and iron brothers. This friendship will continue and will not tolerate any kind of obstacle in its way,” he remarked. He said Pakistan was absolutely ready to contribute to President Xi’s vision of shared prosperity. Highlighting the importance of ML-1 and Karachi Circular Railway, the prime minister expressed the hope that both projects would be successfully executed to make Pakistan stand on its own feet through the hard work and untiring efforts of both countries. “It is the Chinese model, It is President Xi Jinping’s model, and will emulate it under the vision of our Pakistan’s founding father late Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah to promote prosperity and peace in this country,” he commented.
‘REALISING SHARED OBJECTIVES OF CPEC’
Pakistan and China on Monday, expressing satisfaction at the steady development of CPEC projects, agreed on its centrality for Pakistan’s socio-economic development.
The bilateral ties including the CPEC were discussed in a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and He Lifeng, Vice Premier of China and Member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, a PM Office statement said. At the invitation of the Government of Pakistan, the Special Envoy of President Xi Jinping He Lifeng is visiting here to attend the 10th-anniversary celebrations of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Both sides expressed their firm commitment to continue working together for realising the shared objectives of the CPEC. It was also agreed that 10th anniversary of CPEC celebrations constituted a fresh starting point to further expand CPEC as envisaged by the leadership of the two countries.
The conversation was marked by traditional warmth and cordiality that has been the hallmark of Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership. During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on several aspects of bilateral relationship including CPEC and bilateral economic and financial cooperation. Welcoming Vice-Premier He Lifeng to Pakistan, the prime minister congratulated him on being promoted as the Vice-Premier of China in March this year. In his remarks, Vice Premier He conveyed President Xi Jinping’s message of China’s firm support to Pakistan’s prosperity and development. Vice Premier He Lifeng underlined that Pakistan-China friendship was unique and had withstood the vicissitude of time due to deep fraternal ties between the peoples of two nations. He reiterated that as an iron-brother and strategic partner, China would continue its existing economic and financial support to Pakistan. Welcoming the prime minister’s vision for deepening trade and investment ties, the Chinese vice premier conveyed China’s willingness to enhance Pakistan’s agro and food exports to China.
The Chinese delegation included Guo Wei, Deputy Secretary General of the State Council of China, Sun Weidong, Vice Minister of Foreign Ministry, Cong Liang, Vice Chairman National Development & Reform Commission, Xuan Changneng, Deputy Governor of the People’s Bank of China, Wang Kebing, Deputy Governor of the People’s Bank of China, Wang Liping, Director General of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Commerce, Pang Chunxue, Charge d’Affaires, Chinese Embassy Islamabad and other senior Chinese officials.
The Pakistan side included Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for Commerce, Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Finance, Rana Sanaullah Khan, Minister for Interior, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Minister for Information, Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Minister for Railways, Hina Rabbani Khar, MOS for Foreign Affairs, Syed Tariq Fatemi, SAPM and senior officials from relevant ministries. After the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Vice Premier He oversaw the ceremony for signing of agreements, MoUs and other documents, covering areas including agriculture; industrial cooperation; transport connectivity, etc. Later, the prime minister hosted a luncheon in honour of He Lifeng and the accompanying delegation.
PM SHEHBAZ, CHINESE VICE-PREMIER DISCUSS BILATERAL TIES
Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng on Monday met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif here wherein both discussed bilateral relations and the way to further enhance mutual cooperation.
At the invitation of the Government of Pakistan, the Chinese vice-premier, along with a delegation, is visiting here to attend the celebration of the 10 years of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Both sides also deliberated over the implementation of the second phase of CPEC for which both countries also signed documents on the occasion. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Shehbaz and Vice-Premier He Lifeng along with their respective delegations. Earlier, as the foreign dignitary arrived at the PM House, he was warmly received by Prime Minister Shehbaz at the main entrance which followed the introduction of the delegations to each other. Meanwhile, Prime Minister on Monday warmly welcomed the Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and members of his delegation as they arrived here on Sunday for a three-day visit. At the invitation of the Government of Pakistan, the Special Envoy of President Xi Jinping, the Vice Premier of China and Member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, is visiting here to attend the 10th-anniversary celebrations of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). “It is my pleasure to warmly welcome the Chinese Vice-Premier H.E. He Lifeng and members of his delegation to Pakistan. They are visiting Pakistan to join us in celebrating the 10th anniversary of CPEC and witnessing first-hand the transformations brought about by this game-changing initiative,” the prime minister wrote on a microblogging site.
