ISLAMABAD - While refuting a media report that China was allegedly building a military base in Pakistan, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday suggested that it was not necessary for the outside world to make too much guesses in this regard.
“I am not aware of which you mentioned,” Lu Kang said while responding to a question about alleged building of a Chinese military base in Pakistan, during his regular Press briefing held here.
He said that building of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was an important part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and both China and Pakistan were also making efforts to build the CPEC which was in the common interest of people and the countries along the route.
“So, I don’t think it is necessary for outside world to make too much guesses in this regard,” he added.
The spokesperson of Pakistan’s Foreign Office had already rejected such a report stating that there was no proposal of building any Chinese Military base near Gawadar.
“This is all propaganda against the development of CPEC and strengthening of relations between Pakistan and China,” he added.
Meanwhile, Foreign Service Academy and China Foreign Affairs Studies University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further enhance cooperation in research, academic exchanges and training of young diplomats in Beijing on Tuesday.
Pakistan Ambassador to China Masood Khalid and President China Foreign Affairs Studies University Qin Yaqing signed the memorandum.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Khalid expressed the confidence that both the sides would jointly work to further enhance their cooperation in fields of research, training, academic interaction and academic exchanges.
He said that both the institutions enjoyed deep rooted friendly relations and informed that Pakistan’s young diplomats were sent to learn Chinese language, culture and history in this university.
He informed that at present, five Pakistani diplomats were getting training here and added, “Every year, new officers join this university for training.”
He said that cooperation between the two brotherly countries in the field of education and science and technology had increased manifold after the signing of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework.
At present, around 22,000 Pakistani students were presently studying medicines and natural sciences in China.
Under the language and culture programmes, different provinces had also sent students on scholarship to learn Chinese language. Urdu was also being taught in eight Chinese universities.
Ambassador Khalid hoped that the cooperation between the two friendly countries would further grow in future.