Trade corridor through PoK not aimed against India, says China
BEIJING: The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), passing through PoK, is not designed to target India or take Pakistan’s side on the Kashmir dispute, Beijing has said, adding that it is certainly a platform to further strengthen China-Pak cooperation.
Indicating that it wasn’t likely to take a side in the Kashmir issue, the Chinese government said it was a “historical problem” between India and Pakistan and should be resolved through dialogue.
“The sovereignty of the Kashmir region has been a historical problem between India and Pakistan and should be appropriately settled through bilateral talks and negotiations,” the ministry of foreign affairs (MFA) said.
Referring to the CPEC, the MFA said: “China’s programmes in the region aim at boosting the local economy and improving the people’s well-being.”
“It neither concerns any third party nor is it attacking the position of any side on the issue,” the MFA response to HT’s questions on CPEC and Kashmir said.
But whether India is opposed to the CPEC or not, the MFA said: “The CPEC has gradually stepped from primary planning to the full operational phase.”
India has repeatedly raised its concerns over the CPEC – the flagship project in President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) — passing through PoK.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised it again with Xi during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hangzhou in eastern China. Modi is learnt to have told Xi that terror is being exported to Indiafromthesameregionthrough which the CPEC passes.
The MFA statement did not directly respond to questions on India’s concerns but said it benefits Pakistan and the region.
The two countries have also reached agreements on the longterm plans of the CPEC, it said.
The MFA said security of CPEC andChinesecitizensagainstattacks from militant groups active in the region remains an “important requirement”.
“Security has been an important requirement for the CPEC construction. Pakistan has declared it would take necessary and efficient measurestoensurethesafetyof the project and the security of Chinese citizens and build a safe environment for the CPEC construction,” the statement said.
It added: “China has been paying high attention to the issue, trusting Pakistan’s ability on ensuring the safety of the project and the personnel.” The MFA said, “Over the past year, a great many of important programmes have been implemented, the construction of the corridor has been in full operation by joint efforts.”
Premier Li Keqiang first floated the proposal to build the CPEC during his 2013 May visit to Pakistan where he went after visiting India. In April 2015, the two countries signed 30 deals connected to the CPEC when Xi visited Pakistan.