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Chinese vice president wraps up Pak visit on successful note

By APP
May 29, 2019

ISLAMABAD: China’s Vice President Wang Qishan on Tuesday concluded his three-day "highly successful" visit to Pakistan, setting a tone for future trajectory of engagement between the two countries.

“The vice president’s highly successful visit has imparted a strong impetus to further deepening of the time-tested friendship between Pakistan and China,” the Foreign Office said in a statement as the visiting dignitary wrapped up his visit to Islamabad and Lahore. The May 26-28 visit encompassed meetings with the Pakistani leadership, launching of four mega projects, inking of five accords and reviewing progress on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

“The visit has added to the vitality of the Pakistan-China bilateral partnership, which remains unaffected by adverse regional and international developments, and continues to grow from strength to strength,” the Foreign Office statement added.

The FO said the visit acquired "an increased momentum" since the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to China in November 2018 and his participation in the 2nd Belt and Road Forum in Beijing in April 2019. The two sides held in-depth discussions on Phase-II of CPEC including industrial and agricultural cooperation and socio-economic development, and on deepening practical cooperation in tourism and people-to-people exchanges. Both countries underscored their firm commitment for early completion of ongoing CPEC projects and to further expanding CPEC.

The two countries also agreed to enhance bilateral trade volume in a balanced way. In this respect, they resolved to implement the recently concluded 2nd Phase of China Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) at the earliest.

They agreed that the early development of prioritised Special Economic Zones (SEZs) will play an important role in further enhancing economic relations between the two countries. The Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership is unique in modern inter-state relations marked by exceptional trust, mutual understanding and support for each other’s core interests.

“China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the flagship project of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has added a practical dimension to the relationship and further fortified it,” the statement added. In Lahore, the Chinese vice president met Punjab chief minister and held a meeting with governor also, who hosted a banquet in his honour.

In recognition of his services for strengthening bilateral relations with Pakistan, President Dr Arif Alvi conferred on Vice President Wang Qishan the country’s highest civil award Nishan-e-Pakistan.

On Tuesday, Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan returned to his country after completing his three-day visit to Pakistan. Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar saw him off at the Lahore airport. The Chinese vice president thanked the chief minister for the warm hospitality extended to him in Lahore and said that he could never forget the love he was given here.

The CM said the visit would further strengthen Pakistan-China friendship. He also presented an album of pictures of Lahore visit to Chinese vice president. Provincial ministers Raja Basharat, Syed Sumsam Bukhari, Nauman Langrial, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ijaz Alam, Taimur Bhatti, Samiullah Chaudhry, Ashfa Riaz, Ansar Majeed Khan Niazi, Hafiz Mumtaz Ahmad, Hashim Dogar, Punjab chief secretary, IG Police and others were also present at the airport.