ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China on Thursday reiterated their resolve to further cement their partnership for a shared future and benefit of their peoples, with caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar saying Islamabad would not allow anything to undermine the strategic partnership with Beijing.

Both sides renewed this pledge during a delegation-level meeting between caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of People on the sidelines of the 3rd Belt and Road Forum.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), President Xi said China was ready to carry forward the traditional friendship and deepen the bilateral partnership with Pakistan. He also assured that China was committed to the CPEC and peace in the region.

PM Kakar called the bilateral partnership “made in heaven”, saying Pakistan “blindly trusted China” and that the country would not “allow anything to undermine the bilateral strategic partnership”.

Pakistan will ‘not allow anything’ to undermine ties with Beijing, asserts PM

In his opening remarks, he said Pakistan firmly supported the ‘One-China Policy’ and added Islamabad would not budge on its relationship with China.

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”. He said the Belt and Road Initiative was a “pragmatic” and “practical” answer to the global challenges.

‘Multi-faceted ties’

Following his meeting with Mr Xi, PM Kakar tweeted that “various dimensions of the multi-faceted Pakistan-China relationship” were discussed at the meeting.

“…I underscored that Pakistan would continue working with China to promote regional connectivity and economic development and to make Gwadar as a connectivity hub and for the socio-economic development of Pakistan.”

He said President Xi reassured that China would continue supporting Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and development, and would continue supporting Islamabad in harnessing its geo-economic potential. “I also extended an invitation to President Xi to visit Pakistan at his earliest convenience, which he graciously accepted,” he added.

Meeting with Chinese entrepreneurs

PM Kakar also encouraged China’s corporate executives to explore the vast investment potential of Pakistan.

The caretaker prime minister said this in a meeting with a number of Chinese corporate executives on the sidelines of the Third Belt and Road Forum here.

The CEOs and executives of Chinese enterprises included Minmetals, MCC, China Communication Construction Company, China Road and Bridge Corporation, Amer International Group, Power China, China Energy and China Gezhouba Group.

Sharing Pakistan’s vision for sustainable and inclusive development, he outlined Pakistan’s investor-friendly policies, including the establishment of the Special Investment Facilitation Council, which will act as a one-window platform to facilitate foreign investment.

He encouraged China’s corporate executives to explore the vast investment potential of Pakistan, especially in ICT, agriculture, renewable energy, textile, digital economy and, mining and minerals sectors.

Later, the caretaker premier visited Urumqi.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2023