China, Pakistan issue joint statement, vowing to build CPEC into 'exemplary project of Belt and Road cooperation'

By Global Times Published: Jun 09, 2024 01:55 PM. As Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's visit to China concluded on Saturday, China and Pakistan have issued a joint statement, stressing the authority of the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 not to be disputed or challenged, while vowing to build together the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor into an exemplary project of high-quality building of Belt and Road cooperation. Recognizing the CPEC as "a pioneering project of the Belt and Road Initiative," the joint statement said the project has changed the development landscape of Pakistan, benefited its people's well-being, and promoted the integrated development of the two countries. After the successful first decade of CPEC, the two sides are committed to carrying out the eight major steps for supporting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, forging an "Upgraded version" of the CPEC by jointly building a corridor that is innovative, green and open, aligning with Pakistan's 5Es Framework based on Exports, E-Pakistan, Environment, Energy, and Equity & Empowerment to better benefit the two countries and their peoples. China and Pakistan will work together to build CPEC into an exemplary project of high-quality building of Belt and Road cooperation. Pakistan reaffirmed its firm commitment to the one-China principle, and reiterated that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the China's territory, and that Pakistan firmly supports the Chinese government's every effort to achieve national reunification and opposes any form of "Taiwan independence." Chinese Premier Li Qiang held talks with Shehbaz in Beijing on Friday, noting that China is willing to work with Pakistan to enhance the synergy of their development strategies, focus on upgrading the CPEC, expand trade and investment cooperation, and deepen cooperation on industry, agriculture, aerospace, information technology, ecology and environmental protection. In an exclusive interview with the Global Times in Beijing, Ahsan Iqbal, Pakistani minister for planning, development and special initiatives, who accompanied Shehbaz on his China visit, emphasized that in the next phase, the focus of CPEC cooperation will be on industry, agriculture and information technology.