CPEC now becomes reality, says PM
‘Three years ago the CPEC was unheard of — today it is known globally,’ says Abbasi at CPEC Summit; China reassures Pak on ties ahead of Xi’s meeting with Modi
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khakan Abbasi said on Monday that Pakistan looks upon the China-pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a partnership between two the governments.
While speaking at the two-day CPEC summit, he said it is a new form of cooperation. “Three years ago the CPEC was unheard of — today it is known globally. The BRI initiative of Chinese President Xi is a project for generations. Recently, we discussed security and connectivity with Afghanistan, who also recognises CPEC as an opportunity. The CPEC has now become a reality — two power projects under the initiative have been completed and the third one is About to BE INISHED.”
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal in his address talked about the progress and development made in Pakistan during the tenure of the Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz (PML-N) government. “This event proves that Karachi is changing,” he said, adding that when the PML-N came to power in 2013, the city was known for target killings and extortion.
“This is an age of development and growth, with the speed of an electron,” he remarked.
Talking about the Belt and Road initiative, he termed it a huge opportunity. “Pakistan will become a hub of development with the help of this project. We made regional connectivity a key component of our Vision2025 project,” he said, terming CPEC the BIGGEST LAGSHIP project of THE ONE Belt One Road initiative.
“China extended its hand towards Pakistan when no one wanted to invest even 10 dollars.”
Addressing the reservations about CPEC, Iqbal said there are lobbies that are not happy with CPEC — it is not a debt trap. “Some say China will become the East India Company; they haven’t read history. China seeks partnership. There is nothing to fear for Pakistani businesses. This is a propaganda. Love live China-pak friendship.”
‘NEVER RUST’
China on Monday reassured Pakistan that relations between the two Countries were As irm As Ever AND would “never rust,” ahead of a meeting this week between President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that could unnerve Islamabad.
China and Pakistan like to call each other “all weather friends” and their traditional close ties have long been viewed with suspicion by Pakistan’s neighbour and traditional enemy, India.
But Modi has tried to reset relations with Beijing after a years of disagreements over everything from their border to exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, and will hold an informal summit with Xi on Friday and Saturday in China.
CHINA will Continue to irmly support Pakistan, its top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, told Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif at a meeting in Beijing.
“We are ready to work together with our Pakistani brothers to undertake the historical mission of national rejuvenation and achieve the great dream of national prosperity and development,” Wang said.
“In this way, our iron friendship with Pakistan will never rust and be tempered into steel.”
There was no mention of the Ximodi meeting in comments made in front of reporters.