Kakar says Islamabad endorses Beijing’s vision of global connectivity n Highlights govt’s business friendly, pro-investment initiatives n Terms CPEC a flagship project of BRI n Chinese President Xi opens Third Belt and Road Forum.

BEIJING  -  Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Wednesday said Pakistan was committed to working with China and other regional partners in achieving the ideals of an open global economy and promoting connectivity on a trans-continental scale.

“With shared responsibility and by embracing the vision of working together, we can create a brighter, peaceful, and sustainable future for ourselves and for our generations,” he said in his address at the high-level event of the Third Belt and Road Forum (BRF) on ‘Connectivity in an Open Global Economy’.

The two-day forum, which marked the 10 years of the multi-billion dollar cross-regional Belt and Road Initiative, kicked off in China’s capital Beijing with representatives from 140 countries in attendance.

PM Kakar said Pakistan endorsed China’s vision of global connectivity and also looked forward to joining hands with other partners across borders and regions to materialize the projects. 

“I am hopeful that together we can shape a world with the bonds that unite us together, rather than the forces that divide us,” he said. The prime minister congratulated President Xi Jinping for his revolutionary idea of the Belt and Road Initiative launched 10 years ago that proved instrumental in bringing common development and shared prosperity. He termed enhanced connectivity a profound factor in development and progress in the modern age of globalization.

“The BRI’s concept of shared future for mankind is not about road and railway infrastructure, but also to create linkages among civilizations and nations,” he said. He mentioned that the world faced a number of challenges including post-pandemic effects, the divide between the developed and the impoverished, peace, and food security.

Kakar highlighted that BRI’s flagship project China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) played a crucial role in generating new economic opportunities in Pakistan. Underscoring its salience for Pakistan’s robust economic development, he endorsed the Chinese proposal for developing CPEC as a corridor of growth, innovation, livelihood, green economy, openness, and inclusiveness. The prime minister underlined the need for a united global response to address complex transnational challenges faced by humankind and to prevent backsliding on the gains achieved under the UN Sustainable Development Goals and 2030 Agenda.

He emphasised the urgency of addressing infrastructure gaps in the developing world by investing in transportation, energy, and digital economy.

In Pakistan, he said CPEC’s 50 projects worth $25 billion investment resulted in the creation of modern highways, seaports, airports, and rapid mass transit systems.

He said the government of Pakistan had taken steps to make the country a trade hub by connecting Gwadar with the landlocked countries, thus opening new vistas to the west and beyond. Kakar expressed confidence that as CPEC crossed its decade of launch, the next phase would be poised to accommodate rural farmers, students, and small tradesmen and ensure improvement in living standards, poverty alleviation, and jobs creation. He said Pakistan’s collaboration with China in the information technology sector and CPEC’s green corridor would ensure modernization, food security, and agricultural and environmental protection. “This vision promotes cooperation, collective security, inclusive and sustainable development, and a balanced eco-system as the only way to address global challenges,” he said. Earlier, Chinese President Xi opened the Forum with representatives from about 140 nations in attendance.

Besides PM Kakar, the dignitaries at the forum included Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Sri Lankan President RanilWickremesinghe, Republic of Congo President Denis SassouNguesso, Papua New Guinean Prime Minister James Marape, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and Indonesian President Joko Widodo. 

Xi said China looks forward to strengthening ties, engaging in dialogues, forging new partnerships, and promoting regional connectivity for a brighter future. “The BRF is about planning together, building together, and benefiting together,” he said, adding that the project had established a new framework for international cooperation. Earlier, Prime Minister Anwaar- ul-Haq Kakar met with a delegation of East Sea Group led by Chairman Fang Yulong, highlighted pro-business policies of the government. He said that the government was taking business- friendly and pro-investment initiatives to bring about the economic development in the country. He said the government was encouraging the private sector and providing a conducive atmosphere to enable it play an effective role for country’s economic development. Fang Yulong told the prime minister that East Sea Group was making investments in Gwadar Free Zone and refinery sector and that the Chinese firms were taking keen interest in increasing their investment in the country. Earlier in the day, Pakistan and China signed multiple Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements for bilateral cooperation in the areas of commerce, communication, transport, food security, health, and others. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and Chinese Premier Li Qiang witnessed the signing of MoUs at a ceremony held in Beijing on the sidelines of the Third Belt and Road Forum (BRF). 

The two countries agreed to further strengthen high-level dialogue and engagement besides deepening the political, economic, education, science and technology, cultural, and people-to-people relations.

Accompanied by their ministers and senior government officials, the two leaders reaffirmed the time-tested and iron-clad friendship between Pakistan and China. PM Kakar extended felicitations to the Chinese leadership on the successful holding of the BRF. Noting the depth and breadth of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the premier termed it as a project of immense significance for the world in terms of connectivity and shared prosperity. 

The two leaders discussed bilateral collaboration in the context of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and prospects of further deepening economic linkages.

PM Kakar underscored the importance of CPEC for Pakistan’s economy and noted with satisfaction its expansion into new areas of development — including industrial development; livelihood projects; ICT; mining and minerals exploration and agriculture. 

He expressed confidence that Chinese investment in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) will contribute to the diversification of Pakistan’s export basket and expansion of its industrial base.

Meanwhile, Premier Li underlined the steady growth of bilateral cooperation and noted the positive momentum of CPEC projects. He hoped that leadership consensus would give a further boost to trade and economic relations between the two countries.