Daily Times

Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan arrived in Islamabad on May 26 to enhance bilateral cooperation in diverse areas. His visit concluded on May 28. The visit was strategically timed to discuss the situation unfolding across the Gulf region and South Asia following tensions between Iran and the United States and its direct impact on Pakistan and China. Wang called on President Arif Alvi and held separate meetings with Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff Qamar Javed Bajwa. Pakistan and China are expected to sign several MoUs and agreements and launch projects to enhance bilateral cooperation in a broad range of areas.

The visit is in continuation of high-level exchanges between the two countries, which has received new impetus since Khan’s visit to China in November 2018 and his participation in the Second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing in April 2019. Wang’s visit to Pakistan will further deepen high-level exchanges, friendship and mutual trust between the two countries and would advance the development of CPEC besides bilateral cooperation.

Wang called China and Pakistan as “iron friends.” Throughout the past 68 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries have always respected and supported each other on issues concerning each other’s core interests, forging the sincerest friendship. In recent years, the development of China-Pakistan relations has kept a good momentum; with mutual political trust further enhanced, pragmatic cooperation continuously deepened and people-to-people exchanges growing more vigorous, Wang said.

He said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has achieved concrete landmarks and has become a hallmark of China-Pakistan friendly cooperation in the new era. He said his visit was meant to send out a signal once more to peoples of the two countries and the world that China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners.

Pakistan will take effective measures to provide security guarantees for the cooperation and exchanges between the two countries

Wang said China was willing to strengthen all-round cooperation with Pakistan in various sectors and at various levels, so as to make the friendship better for the two sides and forge a closer China-Pakistan community of shared future in the new era. China is ready to join hands with Pakistan to deepen high-level exchanges, boost strategic communication and pragmatic cooperation as well as closely coordinate in international and regional affairs, Wang said.

He urged the two sides to work for high-quality CPEC development in the next phase, and make concrete progress in industrial park building and agricultural cooperation. He called for stronger people-to-people and cultural exchanges and collaboration so as to expand the public foundation for the China-Pakistan friendship. He hoped that Pakistan will take effective measures to provide security guarantees for the cooperation and exchanges between the two countries.

For his part, President Arif Alvi extended congratulations to the upcoming 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. He said Pakistan-China cooperation has become more important in current times and Pakistan is firmly committed to the One China policy, firmly supports China in safeguarding the country’s core and major interests. Pakistan wishes to strengthen cooperation with China. President Alvi conferred on Wang Nishan-i-Pakistan, the country’s highest civil award.

Imran Khan, for his part, said that Pakistan adheres to the friendly policy towards China, admires the achievements of China’s reform programme and opening-up and stands ready to consolidate the traditional friendship with China.

Pakistan also hopes to learn from China in terms of governance, and enhance exchanges and cooperation in agricultural technology, special economic zone development, talent training and anti-corruption. Noting that fruitful results have been reaped in the CPEC development, the Pakistani prime minister said the CPEC has played an important role in promoting Pakistan’s economic development and improving people’s livelihood.

He said Pakistan has established a special committee to take charge of inter-department and inter-sector coordination and ensure personnel safety of Chinese institutions in Pakistan. Pakistan will continue to enhance coordination with China in international and regional affairs so as to enrich bilateral all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. Both leaders witnessed the signing of the agreements concerning agriculture, customs, and disaster relief.

Wang had the opportunity to address the Friends of Silk Road Forum and visited the Haier-Ruba Economic Zone. He was given a red carpet welcome at the Haier-Ruba Economic Zone. The Haier Industrial Park is a sprawling facility in Lahore with a 1.6-million unit per annum designed capacity to manufacture, assemble, and produce high-end home appliances and electronics. Wang invited the Punjab government to enter into economic cooperation with large Chinese provinces.

Wang said he had witnessed immense cooperation between the Punjab and China. Wang also visited Taxila archaeological museum where Buddhist artefacts from Gandhara civilization are preserved. The visit would expedite the $60 billion CPEC. It is time to lay down the railway track between Havalian and Kashgar.

The writer is a freelancer