Pakistan, China to advance next phase of CPEC with five corridors

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), agreeing to advance its next phase through five new corridors designed to expand cooperation in key economic sectors.

At their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the two leaders emphasized that the Pakistan-China partnership was unique and unparalleled and agreed that this bond should be reflected through enhanced cooperation across multiple fields.

Prime Minister Shehbaz reaffirmed the desire to continue working closely with China for the successful implementation of the next phase of upgraded CPEC, terming the project a flagship of President Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Shehbaz appreciated China’s unflinching support to Pakistan’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and socio-economic development and said CPEC would help both nations build an even stronger Pakistan-China community with a shared future.

President Xi assured the prime minister that China would continue to assist Pakistan in all fields of economic growth and development, particularly as the second phase of CPEC gets underway.

Earlier in August, both countries reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to the high-quality development of the upgraded China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) during the 6th Strategic Dialogue between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

The two sides reviewed the full spectrum of Pakistan-China relations, discussed key regional and global issues, and exchanged views on various areas of cooperation, including CPEC 2.0, trade and economic ties, multilateral engagement, and people-to-people exchanges.

At a joint press stakeout, Dar highlighted the complete unanimity between the two countries on major bilateral, regional, and global matters, adding that they were encouraged by Wang Yi’s vision for advancing cooperation, particularly in upgrading CPEC to its next phase.

Read: PM reaffirms commitment to deepen cooperation with China in minerals, key sectors

Today, the two leaders also reviewed broader bilateral relations and regional developments, agreeing to maintain close coordination on global and regional issues.

Prime Minister Shehbaz lauded President Xi’s visionary and transformational leadership that has inspired China’s journey towards modernization and progress, adding that “Pakistan took great pride in China’s achievements and would always stand ready to work together with China in this great journey.

Shehbaz congratulated President Xi on the success of the SCO Council of Heads of State Summit in Tianjin and on the 80th anniversary of the World’s Anti-Fascist War.

The prime minister also expressed Pakistan’s support for President Xi’s global initiatives, including the Global Governance Initiative, Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative, calling them contributions to regional as well as global peace, stability and development. Shehbaz said.

Shehbaz invited President Xi to undertake an official visit to Pakistan next year, when the two countries will celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

The prime minister is in Beijing after attending the 25th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State in Tianjin.

During his stay, he will also participate in the anniversary celebrations of the World War Against Fascism and address the China-Pakistan Business-to-Business Conference.