Pakistan, China vow to make CPEC hub of regional connectivity
–Qureshi says China visit aimed at discussing CPEC, Kashmir
–Terms ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia close, cordial
ISLAMABAD: China and Pakistan on Friday agreed to firmly advance the construction of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), ensure in-time completion of the under-construction projects and to make the corridor a hub of regional connectivity.
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The consensus was reached during the second round of China, Pakistan Foreign Ministers Strategic Dialogue held in Hainan, China.
Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and led their respective teams at the dialogue as the two sides exchanged views on Covid-19 pandemic, bilateral relations and international and regional issues of mutual interest, and reached consensus to collectively take measures to safeguard their common interests and promote peace, prosperity, and development in the region.
According to the joint communique issued following the meeting, the two sides agreed to focus on economic and social development, job creation and improvement of people’s livelihood, and further strengthen cooperation in special economic zones (SEZs), industrial relocation, science and technology, medical and health, human resources training, poverty alleviation, and agriculture etc., with the aim to continuously unleash the great potential of CPEC to make it a hub of regional connectivity.
Both sides agreed that Pakistan and China have stood in solidarity and worked together since the Covid-19 outbreak by timely sharing of experiences relating to the prevention and control of the virus, mutual support in providing medical materials, and have set an example for international community to jointly fight the pandemic. Both sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation in developing a vaccine to defeat the Covid-19 pandemic, and strive to promote establishment of Pakistan-China community of shared future and community of common health. Both sides emphasised that unity and cooperation are the most powerful weapon for the international community against the disease. Both sides opposed politicising the pandemic, labeling viruses; supported the World Health Organisation (WHO) to play a leading role in global public health governance, and called for the international community to increase the sense of a community of shared future and carry out effective joint prevention and control measures in order to mitigate the negative effects of Covid-19.
Both sides reiterated that the enduring Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership is beneficial to international and regional peace and stability, and serves the mutual security and development interests of both countries as well as of international community and regional countries.
Both sides were committed to firmly implementing the consensus reached between the two leaders, enhancing mutual strategic trust, strengthening all-round cooperation, maintaining momentum of high-level exchanges, further advancing construction of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), promoting bilateral relationship to a higher level, and delivering greater benefits to both countries and the two peoples.
The two sides agreed on continuing their firm support on issues concerning each other’s core national interests. The Chinese side reiterated that Pakistan and China are iron brothers and Pakistan remains China’s staunchest partner in the region and that China firmly supports Pakistan in safeguarding its territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence, independently choosing a development path based on its national conditions, striving for a better external security environment and playing a more constructive role on international and regional affairs.
The Pakistani side appreciated China for standing together with Pakistan in safeguarding its national security and sovereignty, and reaffirmed its firm support to China on affairs concerning China’s core interests and issues of major concern, such as those related to Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong.
Both sides underscored that CPEC has entered the new phase of high-quality development, and has played and will continue to play an important role in supporting Pakistan to overcome the impact of Covid-19 and achieve greater development.
Both sides expressed satisfaction on agreements reached on recent mega energy projects and look forward to convening the 10th JCC meeting at the earliest possible date to promote CPEC to make positive contributions to the high-quality construction of BRI.
Both sides reaffirmed the principle of wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits in building CPEC, and welcomed the international community to join in the CPEC construction on the basis of consensus to achieve shared development.
Both sides expressed satisfaction over cooperation on regional and international issues at multilateral fora such as the United Nations (UN), Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and ASEAN Regional Forum, and agreed to deepen coordination and cooperation to safeguard mutual interests and uphold principles of fairness and justice. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and support for multilateralism, free trade and win-win cooperation, and opposition to unilateralism, protectionism and coercive practices.
The two sides underlined that a peaceful, stable, cooperative and prosperous South Asia was in common interest of all parties. Parties need to settle disputes and issues in the region through dialogue on the basis of equality and mutual respect. The Pakistani side briefed the Chinese side on the situation in Jammu & Kashmir, including its concerns, position and current urgent issues.
The Chinese side reiterated that the Kashmir issue is a dispute left over from history between India and Pakistan, which is an objective fact, and that the dispute should be resolved peacefully and properly through the UN Charter, relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and bilateral agreements. China opposes any unilateral actions that complicate the situation.
China and Pakistan agreed to strengthen cooperation on the Afghan issue and appreciated the efforts made by Afghan government and the Taliban to initiate the Intra-Afghan Negotiations. They emphasized the importance of an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive negotiated agreement for future political settlement in Afghanistan.
While reaffirming their commitment to an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, both sides encouraged relevant parties in Afghanistan to seize this historic opportunity and commence the intra-Afghan Negotiations at the earliest leading to durable peace and stability in Afghanistan. China appreciated Pakistan’s positive contribution to the Afghan peace process and efforts for promoting peace and stability in region and beyond.
Both Pakistan and China reaffirmed the vitality of the time-tested and all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries which remains unaffected by the vicissitudes of the regional and international developments and continues to move from strength to strength.
PAK-SAUDI RELATIONS:
Earlier, dismissing speculations about rifts between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, FM Qureshi said that both countries enjoy very close relations.
In a statement on Friday, Qureshi, who was in China on an official visit, said that Pakistan’s relations with the Kingdom have invariably remained cordial and hoped that they will remain so in future as well.
“I think no one understands the depth of our relations with each other. We are each others’ necessity and support,” he further said. He hailed Riyadh’s categorical stance on Israel as historic, saying that the kingdom has not strayed from its historic position on the issue and that Pakistan holds the same view.
Qureshi said that Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa recently visited Riyadh where he held important meetings. He expressed the desire for future meetings to be held with Saudi Arabia on important issues, hoping that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia both fulfill the targets and expectations they have of each other.
About his visit to China, the foreign minister said that a lot of developments have taken place over the past one year that need to be discussed between the two countries.
“Pakistan, with the help of China, raised the issue of occupied Kashmir three times at the UN Security Council in one year,” he said. “China has a standoff with India as well on Indian Occupied Kashmir, which has not ended. Hence, you can see that Kashmir is important for both countries,” he added.
The minister said that Pakistan and China will also discuss the evolving situation in Afghanistan, as both the government and Taliban move closer towards a political settlement after the exchange of prisoners there.
Qureshi revealed that before the trip, he held detailed discussions with Prime Minister Imran Khan and General Bajwa. He said that people from the Foreign Office (FO) and those representing the General Headquarters (GHQ) are also accompanying him on the trip.
He said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will also come under discussion during his visit and both countries have to discuss the time frame of certain schemes that are part of the project, which include Gwadar, and also deliberate on its targets.
He also said he will represent Pakistan at the second round of Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers’ strategic dialogue. He further said that Pakistan and China have brought under control coronavirus to a great extent, adding this is his first visit to the neighbouring country after a considerable decline in coronavirus cases.
Separately, in a statement on the occasion of International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, the foreign minister expressed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to fight the curse of terrorism.
“Resilient Pakistani nation has shown that the values of enlightenment, compassion and empathy that bind us together are much stronger than the forces of intolerance, hatred and violence,” he said.
Qureshi said that Pakistan has suffered the most from terrorism as it lost more than 70,000 lives and suffered economic losses of $120 billion. He said that thousands of Pakistan’s valiant soldiers and law enforcement personnel have laid down their lives in defending the motherland.
“I would like to thank and honour Pakistani citizens and families of martyrs of our law enforcement agencies and armed forces who have rendered immense sacrifices for the freedom, safety and security of Pakistan and its people,” Qureshi said, maintaining that the government and people of Pakistan will never forget their sacrifice. Despite these losses, he added, the country’s resolve to fight terrorism remains unwavering.
“As we commemorate this day, we must remember and venerate the victims of worst form of state terrorism by India against innocent people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” the foreign minister said.
Since 1990, he added, India’s occupation army has martyred over 100,000 Kashmiris, widowed over 22,000 women, orphaned around 108,000 children and raped more than 11,000 women.
He further said that the Indian state terrorism has intensified since 5th August military siege of eight million Kashmiris in the valley with extrajudicial killings and brutal use of force against peaceful protesters.
Qureshi called upon the international community to prosecute the Indian civil and military personnel involved in the state terrorism and serious crimes against humanity. He said that political leaders have been imprisoned whilst thirteen thousand Kashmiri youngsters have been subjected to abduction and torture.
The foreign minister said that on its part Pakistan is committed to showing the victims of terrorism that they are not alone and the international community stands in solidarity with them, wherever they are.