‘China ready to work with Pakistan to move CPEC forward’

BEIJING: Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Friday that China stood ready to work with Pakistan to move forward the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) so as to benefit the peoples of the two countries.

“The CPEC is a new cooperation framework set up by China and Pakistan to pursue long-term development. It is also an important project of the Belt and Road Initiative,” she said during her regular press briefing in Beijing. She said, “It was important, not only in promoting common development for China and Pakistan, but also in promoting regional connectivity and common development and prosperity of regional countries.”

In advancing the CPEC, both China and Pakistan adhered to the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, she added. The spokesperson said, “The dividends and benefits brought by the CPEC would be shared by people in China and Pakistan and in the region.”

Responding to a question, she rejected apprehensions that once the CPEC trade routes officially opened, Pakistan would be flooded with cheap Chinese products, which would make it hard for local Pakistani companies to survive.

About participation of the Guards of Honour of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in the military parade marking Pakistan’s Day, she said, at the invitation of the Pakistani military, the honor guards of the three services of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army sent a formation to march in the military parade marking Pakistan’s Day. “China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners, and the Chinese and the Pakistani military maintain traditional friendship”, she added.

Hua Chunying informed that in 2015, Pakistan sent a formation to take part in China’s military parade celebrating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against the Japanese aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Joining the Pakistani side in its military parade this time was another testament to epitome of the high-level strategic mutual trust and friendly relations between the two countries and the two military, she added.