Daily Times

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Thursday, calling the bilateral partnership made in “heaven”, said that Pakistan blindly trusted China and that the country would not allow anything to undermine the bilateral strategic partnership.

The prime minister, in his opening remarks while meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, said Pakistan firmly supported One China policy and would show it through its actions, not mere words.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Third Belt and Road Forum, attended by leadership and representatives of around 140 nations. “Pakistan will not take an inch back when it comes to our relations with China,” he remarked as the two leaders met to discuss the bilateral and regional matters.

President Xi warmly received the prime minister as he arrived to hold the meeting accompanied by his delegation members, including Shamshad Akhtar, Sarfaraz Bugti, Gohar Ejaz and others.

The prime minister thanked the Chinese leader for inviting him to attend the “historic” Belt and Road Forum and also congratulated him for the “resounding” success of the event. He said President Xi’s address at the Forum was “profound, deep and visionary”, which offered a lot of opportunities for the countries like Pakistan.

“I used to hear the phrases of (Pak-China friendship) ‘sweeter than honey’ and ‘iron clad brotherhood’, but I realise that this moment is for Pakistan when you say ‘when China does well, the rest of the world does well.’

“This is the moment for Pakistan to come and seize the opportunity,” he remarked.

He said eight proposals President Xi had put forth at the Forum were actually a roadmap for not just physical connectivity but also an important stabilising factor in international order.

Prime Minister Kakar said the Belt and Road Initiative was a “pragmatic” and “practical” answer to the global political, economic and civilisational challenges faced by many nations.

He said China’s unprecedented progress was a role model which transformed the lives of the millions of its people, also having no parallel in the world history. He told the Chinese president that across the whole political structures in Pakistan, there was no dissenting view about China.

Prime Minister Kakar said that President Xi’s vision of the community of shared future was very relevant in the current disturbing time.

In his remarks, President Xi said that China stood ready to work with Pakistan to carry forward the traditional friendship and deepen the bilateral partnership.

He also reiterated the resolve to accelerate building China-Pakistan partnership in the new era of community for shared future for benefit of the two peoples.

He also assured that China was committed for the high quality development of CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor) development and working for peace development in the region.

Meanwhile, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said Pakistan was offering opportunities to Chinese companies and the world to invest in mining and metallurgy sectors with high productivity yields.

The prime minister expressed these views as he met Chairman Minmentals Weng Zuliang and Chairman China Metallurgical Group Corporation Chen Jianuang in Beijing.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of Third Belt and Road Forum which was opened by President Xi Jinping on Wednesday.

PM Kakar apprised the delegation about the Special Investment Facilitation Council set up for the promotion of foreign investment in the country.

The heads of the Chinese companies expressed keen interest to invest in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said that the promotion of tourism and the development of road and rail infrastructure were inevitable to make Pakistan a transitional economy.

The prime minister said this in a meeting with CEO of China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Wang Haihuai and Chairman of China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).

The heads of the Chinese firms apprised the prime minister of the ongoing projects of CCCC and CRBC under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor.

They expressed their keen interest to enhance their investment in the development of infrastructure, renewable energy, and other sectors.

The prime minister appreciated the Chinese companies’ projects as well as their interest to enhance their investment.

Prime Minister Kakar told the heads of Chinese firms that Pakistan was taking measures for the uplift of infrastructure.