KARACHI: China’s Consul General in Karachi Yang Yundong has said that there is no guarantee of development without security.

“We firmly believe that with strong guidance from the high-level consensus of the two countries and joint efforts of relevant departments, security cooperation between the two countries will surely reach a higher level, creating a safe environment and providing reliable guarantees for the development of China-Pakistan relations,” he said while speaking at the “Meet the Press” programme of the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday.

The Chinese diplomat said: “Without security, there is no guarantee for development. During his meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Xi Jinping clearly stated that China supports Pakistan’s resolute fight against terrorism and hopes Pakistan continues to create a safe, stable, and predictable business environment, ensuring the safety of the Chinese people, projects and institutions in Pakistan.

“Pakistan has made the commitment to resolutely combat and severely punish the terrorists and use all its strength to ensure the safety of the Chinese people and institutions in Pakistan. Both sides have confirmed zero tolerance against all forms of terrorism and further strengthen anti-terrorism security cooperation,” he added.

China’s Consul General Yang Yundong says Beijing firmly supports Pakistan in defending its national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity

Mr Yang said China firmly supports Pakistan in defending its national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. The active development of China-Pakistan relations will always remain a priority in China’s diplomacy, he added.

He said that China supports Pakistan in independently choosing a development path that is in line with its national conditions. It supports its efforts to maintain national security, stability, development and prosperity, its resolute fight against terrorism and its greater role in international and regional affairs. “And we wish for Pakistan to achieve socio-economic development, prosperity, unity, stability and security,” he said.

He said that with regional conflicts dragging on, and instability, uncertainty and unpredictability spreading globally, the world is facing a new period of turmoil and transformation. “However, as all-weather strategic cooperative partners, China and Pakistan’s relationship has withstood the test of international changes and remains rock-solid and stable as the Himalayas.

“Over a month ago, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif successfully visited China. The leaders of the two countries reached broad consensus on further deepening the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between China and Pakistan, promoting practical cooperation in various fields, and addressing international and regional issues of common concern,” he said.

“Pakistan has always been an important partner of China. In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the Belt and Road Initiative, and the same year, China and Pakistan announced the launch of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor [CPEC] construction, making it an important pilot project of the Belt and Road Initiative [BRI],” he pointed out.

“Currently, the two sides will build on the achievements of the CPEC and jointly promote the implementation of the eight actions for high-quality BRI cooperation proposed by China, jointly developing five major corridors for growth, better life, innovation, green development and openness, while creating an upgraded version of the CPEC construction, and aligning with Pakistan’s ‘5Es’ framework, which includes Exports, E-Pakistan, Environment and Climate Change, Energy and Infrastructure and Equity and Empowerment, to better benefit the two countries and their people,” he said.

In major cooperation, the two sides have included the upgrade and renovation of the Karachi-Peshawar Main Line-1 (ML-1) project into the CPEC framework. “It is recognised that ML-1 is of strategic significance to Pakistan’s socio-economic development. The two sides agreed to actively explore the phased advancement of the project and discuss financing models in accordance with the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries,” he said.

The diplomat also mentioned that industrial cooperation is the top priority for high-quality CPEC construction and that China supports Pakistan’s industrialisation. It encourages Chinese enterprises to explore the opportunities to invest in Pakistan’s special economic zones under market-oriented and commercial principles, enhancing Pakistan’s industrial and export capabilities. “It is hoped that Pakistan optimises its business environment and provides more favourable policies for Chinese investment,” he said.

He also said that mining cooperation is a key breakthrough in industrial cooperation, and both sides will actively promote Chinese enterprises to carry out investment and cooperation in the mining industry in Pakistan, and jointly strengthen the planning of mining industrial parks, including deep processing of minerals.

He also added that agriculture is a pillar industry in Pakistan, and both sides will carry out practical cooperation in seed technology, crop cultivation, drip irrigation, pest and disease control, agricultural mechanisation, capacity cooperation, and technical exchanges in modern agriculture.

“Additionally, both sides will actively explore clean energy, artificial intelligence, financial technology, and even space cooperation. These practical measures will inject new momentum and open up new prospects for the consolidation and deepening of practical cooperation between the two countries,” he said.

KPC President Saeed Sarbazi and Secretary Shoaib Ahmed also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2024