Beijing, 15 May 2024(TDI): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar met with Chinese Executive Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang in Beijing today.
Pakistan and China are pushing to sustain the momentum of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as the project enters its second phase, the foreign office said on Wednesday, with the Pakistani deputy prime minister on a visit to Beijing to discuss enhancing trade, including through a major border crossing and a simplified visa regime.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar met with Chinese Executive Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang in Beijing today.
The multibillion-dollar CPEC initiative in which Beijing has pledged to invest $65 billion in Pakistan spans several phases, each with distinct goals and impacts on the region.
The first phase began in 2015 and mainly focused on building critical infrastructure, particularly in the transportation and energy sectors.
The second phase expands the focus to include industrial cooperation, agricultural development, and the promotion of social and economic development.
This phase is also expected to include the development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), efforts to boost green energy production like hydropower and solar energy, and initiatives aimed at modernizing agriculture and increasing exports.
According to an official statement, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar discussed issues related to bilateral trade and connectivity in a meeting with Chinese Executive Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang during his ongoing visit to Beijing.
“The two leaders held in-depth discussion on the various aspects of bilateral relations including China Pakistan Economic Corridor (Phase-II), trade, economic cooperation and investment,” the foreign office said in a statement.
“Connectivity through Khunjerab border crossing and a simplified visa regime were also discussed.
They agreed to sustain the growing momentum of Pakistan-China relations in all areas of cooperation and to further deepen iron-clad Pakistan-China friendship.”
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CPEC Progress
“Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dar noted the progress an made by CPEC in energy and infrastructure and expressed the confidence at the positive dividends under Phase-II in the fields of industry, agriculture and mineral development,” the statement added.
The foreign office said Dar also expressed condolences with the Chinese official over a March 26 suicide bombing that killed five Chinese workers and their Pakistani driver while they were on their way to the Dasu hydropower project in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The Chinese vice premier expressed his country’s full support to Pakistan in all areas, including the economy, trade and investment and reaffirmed the importance of fast-tracking the implementation of CPEC projects.
