Pakistan, China agree on CPEC upgrade, advance to 2nd phase

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China Friday affirmed their consensus on upgradation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and advancing the high-quality development to the second phase.

In a meeting at the historic Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed their resolve to further deepen cooperation across diverse fields ranging from political and security to economic, trade, and people-to-people exchanges.

The top leaders of the friendly countries also reaffirmed the time-honoured ‘All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership’, an official statement, issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), said. PM Shehbaz held a long and in-depth discussion in meeting with President Xi. Chief of the Army Staff General Asim Munir was also present in the meeting. The two leaders were accompanied by the federal ministers and senior officials. This was the premier’s first meeting with the president of China since assuming office in 2024.

The meeting was marked by traditional warmth reflective of the ironclad friendship and close strategic ties between the two countries. PM Shehbaz thanked President Xi for the warm and gracious welcome accorded to him and his delegation in China.

He recalled the historic visit of President Xi Jinping to Pakistan in 2015 where the multibillion-dollar CPEC was formally operationalised, marking a new chapter in the bilateral relationship.

They also exchanged views on regional and global developments including Afghanistan, Palestine and South Asia including the serious human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). The two sides reiterated their longstanding support for each other’s issues of core interest.

Commending President Xi’s visionary Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Global Development Initiative (GDI), the prime minister underscored that as the flagship project of BRI, CPEC had significantly contributed to Pakistan’s socioeconomic development. The two leaders reaffirmed the consensus for high-quality development of CPEC and timely completion of major ongoing projects.

PM Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the high-quality development of CPEC and to foster synergy between the development strategies of the two countries through close coordination. He underlined Pakistan’s commitment and full support for the safety and security of Chinese nationals, projects and institutions in Pakistan.

Shehbaz briefed Xi on Pakistan’s policies for economic reform and sustained growth, industrial development, agricultural modernisation and regional connectivity and the critical role played by CPEC in the country’s development. He underlined that the Pakistani government’s agenda for people-centric, socio-economic development resonates with the concept of ‘shared prosperity’ embraced by China.

The Chinese president also hosted a banquet in honour of PM Shehbaz, where another round of discussion on different matters of mutual interests was held.

Separately, PM Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Qiang held a meeting at the Great Hall of the People on Friday and the two leaders expressed their firm commitment to protect the CPEC project from its detractors and adversaries, ensure timely completion of all ongoing projects, and support the high-quality CPEC development.

The prime minister was accompanied by key members of his cabinet. A welcome ceremony was arranged in honour of the prime minister on his arrival at the Great Hall of the People. The two leaders discussed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, regional and global developments of mutual interest.

Premier Li congratulated PM Shehbaz Sharif on Pakistan’s election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

They also emphasised timely completion of all ongoing projects with a special focus on industrial development, agriculture modernisation, science and technology, and development of Special Economic Zones for mutually beneficial and socio-economic development of Pakistan.

The two sides discussed the significance of Gwadar as an important pillar of CPEC and agreed to expedite the timely completion of all related infrastructure projects to transform Gwadar into a regional economic hub.

Pakistan and China will also continue to consult closely on issues of regional and global significance and multilateral fora, especially during the two-year tenure of Pakistan as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

The delegation-level talks were followed by an MoU signing ceremony, witnessed by PM Shehbaz Sharif and Premier Li Qiang, where both signed 23 MoUs and agreements deepening cooperation in transport infrastructure, industry, energy, agriculture, media, health, water, socio-economic development and others of mutual interest.

The meeting was followed by an official banquet hosted by Premier Li Qiang in honour of the prime minister.

PM Shehbaz Sharif was given a guard of honour at the Great Hall of the People. The national anthems of Pakistan and China were played as the prime minister stood at the salute dias along with his Chinese counterpart.

A smartly-turned-out contingent of the People’s Liberation Army presented the guard of honour to the prime minister, which he reviewed before proceeding to the bilateral meeting.

PM Shehbaz Sharif also met Chairman of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee Zhao Leji wherein they agreed to promote engagement and cooperation between the NPC and the Parliament of Pakistan.

The PM, who is on a five-day official visit to China, proposed several initiatives to strengthen parliamentary exchanges, including enhancing interactions between the China-Pakistan Friendship Groups and exchanging delegations of young parliamentarians. PM Shehbaz paid rich tribute to Chairman Zhao for his contributions to the Chinese politics and society, and congratulated him on successfully convening the NPC’s annual session.

Meanwhile, Cheng Xizhong, Visiting Professor at Southwest University of Political Science and Law, said on Friday PM Shehbaz Sharif was visiting China at a critical time when CPEC had completed the first phase of construction, achieved fruitful results and was moving towards second phase of practical cooperation. “I feel that this visit by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to China is a very important one. First, this is his first visit to China since he was elected prime minister for the second time in March this year.

“Second, it is a visit at a critical time when the CPEC has completed the first phase of construction, achieved fruitful results and now is moving to the second phase of practical cooperation.

“Third, this is a visit at a time when the international and regional situation is grave and complex and the threat of terrorism poses a challenge to the economic cooperation between the two countries,” he told CGTN while commenting on PM Shehbaz’s visit.