Pakistan and China pledge to complete CPEC projects

BEIJING: High-level Pakistani and Chinese delegations, led by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his counterpart Wang Yi, held strategic talks in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province of China.

Foreign Secretary Sohail Mehmood and other senior officials of the foreign ministry also participated in the talks.

During the talks, issues of mutual interests ranging from bilateral co-operation in defence and national security to the strategic partnership between China and Pakistan as well as the China Pakistan Economic Corridor ( CPEC) were discussed.

On this occasion, the delegates from both countries pledged to complete the projects under CPEC on time and to cope with the challenges with joint efforts.

Qureshi, on behalf of the people and leadership of Pakistan, expressed deep sorrow over the recent rain and floods in Henan Province of China. He also expressed his sorrow over the loss of lives of Chinese nationals in the Dasu incident. Both sides pledged to work together to expose those responsible for the Dasu incident and bring them to justice.

Qureshi also congratulated Chinese leadership on the completion of 100 years of the establishment of the Communist Party of China. He pledged to continue supporting the One China Policy and issues such as Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong, and the South China Sea.

Qureshi thanked the Chinese foreign minister for China’s provision of vaccines on a priority basis and assistance in the development of vaccines in Pakistan. Both foreign ministers held detailed talks on the regional situation.

Qureshi apprised his counterpart regarding the grave human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir and the threats to peace in the region due to Indian intentions. He thanked the Chinese leadership for its unwavering support for Pakistan’s position at regional and international forums.

Both leaders expressed concern over the escalating violence in Afghanistan and stressed the need for a political solution to the Afghan issue through comprehensive dialogue.