PM Kakar said Pak-China relations should be strengthened now
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar stated Friday that Pakistan-China relations should be strengthened.
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Good neighbours are treasured in Pakistan. We are lucky to have China as a brother, neighbour, partner, and friend.
“We should strengthen this friendship now. Together, let us create a new path to peace, prosperity, and win-win development, Kakar remarked. He spoke to students and teachers at Xinjiang University in Urumqi.
A day earlier, Kakar said Islamabad will not allow anything to harm the strategic cooperation with Beijing.
This agreement was reiterated during a delegation-level meeting between the caretaker premier and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of People during the 3rd Belt and Road Forum.
“Time has not affected our long-standing relationships. Pakistani politicians agree on the importance of Pak-China friendship for progress, prosperity, and regional peace and development.
Our relations with China are strategic and long-term. He said China-Pakistan friendship will always be a constant in the ever-changing global scene.
Building upon the success of our political ties, the two nations have placed special focus on our economic partnership expressed in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC),’ he said.
Kakar called CPEC a “true example” of BRI goals. “It has helped us upgrade our transport and communication network, address energy shortages and develop Gwadar port in Balochistan,” he said.
The premier said CPEC projects had boosted economic growth, enhanced Pakistani lives, and strengthened regional connectivity.
Kakar then mentioned Xi’s statement last year on making Xinjiang the Belt and Road frontier. He said President Xi’s announcement recognised Xinjiang’s historical position as a Silk Road centre.
He called his BRI tenth anniversary visit to Xinjiang “an important juncture”. “It represents a profound milestone in the enduring friendship between Pakistan and China and the people of our two great nations,” the prime minister remarked.
“My visit shows our commitment to infrastructure and human connectivity. My visit is about creating a new roadmap and future based on economic synergy and connection.
“Pakistan’s vision for cooperation with Xinjiang includes reaffirming our principled position on Xinjiang and our unequivocal support to China on matters related to its core interest.”
He claimed Pakistan wanted to use Xinjiang’s importance to CPEC and its ties to Pakistan. “We will collaborate to identify the strengths of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Xinjiang, and leverage synergies to enhance the livelihoods of our region’s people.”
He added that the land border at Khunjerab would become an all-weather frontier after his Beijing visit.
“We want to improve customs and logistics to facilitate trade and migration. Our CPEC alliance relies on Gwadar. We could improve economic cooperation by exploiting the sister-city link between Karamay and Gwadar and Kashgar and Gwadar.
We want to emulate Xinjiang’s agricultural modernization. We also want to create a cooperative agricultural demonstration zone in Pakistan to demonstrate contemporary farming methods. We also want to connect Xinjiang and Pakistani businesses, especially GB.”
Kakar suggested solar energy, a major industry in Xinjiang.
He said Pakistan wanted to foster cultural and people-to-people ties with Xinjiang. “We welcome more Xinjiang and other Chinese tourists to Pakistan,” he remarked.
