CPEC Authority established through ordinance

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in Beijing late at night on Monday and will embark on two-day official visit of China on Tuesday. Meanwhile, President Arif Alvi promulgated an ordinance to provide for establishment of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority.

The ordinance promulgated by the president on October 5 in exercise of his powers under clause (1) of Article 89 of the Constitution and issued here on Monday, may be called as the China Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority Ordinance 2019.

The Ordinance extends to the whole of Pakistan. The Section 1 of the Ordinance shall come into force at once and other provisions shall come into force on such date or dates as the prime minister may, by notification in the official gazette, appoint and different dates may be appointed for different provisions.

The establishment of CPEC Authority was aimed at accelerating the pace of CPEC related activities, find new drivers of growth, unlock the potential of interlinked production network and global value chains through regional and global connectivity.

Prime Minister Imran Khan embarks today (Tuesday) on an extremely important two-day visit to China at the invitation of premier of the State Council of the Peoples’ Republic of China Li Keqiang.

“The Chief of Army Staff will join the Prime Minister’s meetings with Premier Li Keqiang and President Xi Jinping,” announced the Foreign Office on Monday.

The situation inside the Occupied Jammu and Kashmir will form an important part of the discussion at a time when Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to be meeting Prime Minister Modi at Mahabalipuram on October 11-12, although India has yet to formally announce the dates and the venue for the meeting.

The prime minister would have meetings with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang. President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang will separately host banquets in honour of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

A number of agreements/MoUs are expected to be signed at a ceremony tobe witnessed by the two prime ministers.

“The visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan is in continuation of the long-established tradition of the leadership of the two countries meeting regularly and consulting closely on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest. The prime minister will exchange views on regional developments including the state of peace and security in South Asia arising from the situation in occupied Jammu and Kashmir since August 5, 2019”, says the Foreign Office.

Prime Minister Imran Khan will be accompanied by a high-level delegation including Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Minister for Railways Shaikh Rashid Ahmed, Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Khusro Bakhtyar, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Petroleum, Chairman BOI and senior officials.

“The visit will be instrumental in further cementing Pakistan’s economic, investment and strategic ties with China. Among other things, the prime minister will apprise the Chinese leadership of the government’s recent landmark decisions to speed up implementation of ongoing CPEC projects as well as efforts to project CPEC as a High-Quality Demonstration Project of BRI”, added the Foreign Office.

There will be interaction with senior representatives of the Chinese business and corporate sector for deepening bilateral trade, commercial and investment partnership. The prime minister will also be participating in the closing ceremony of the Beijing International Horticulture Expo, as a chief guest, where Premier Li Keqiang will be the host.

“Pakistan and China are close friends, staunch partners and ‘iron brothers’. The two countries are joined together in an “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership”. This time-tested friendship between the two countries is based on unparalleled mutual trust, understanding and commonality of interests. The leadership of both countries is fully committed to building closer China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future in the New Era”, says the Foreign Office.

Muhammad Anis adds: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa arrived in China on an official visit on Monday. The COAS will accompany Prime Minister Imran Khan in his meetings with President and Prime Minister of China, DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor on Twitter said.

Prime Minister Imran Khan will for China on two-day official visit on Tuesday (today). General Bajwa will meet Chinese military leadership including Commander of People’s Liberation Army, Vice Chairman of Central Military Commission and Commander Southern Theater Command.