China-Pakistan Leaders Forge Stronger CPEC Ties and Strategic Partnership
During their recent meeting, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the China-Pakistan partnership. President Xi assured continued Chinese support for Pakistan's sustainable economic and strategic initiatives, including the Main Line-1 (ML-1) rail track. Additionally, he pledged an extra RMB 500 million for Pakistan's flood relief efforts.
At the People's Great Hall, both leaders emphasized the strategic importance of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and their joint efforts to fast-track the ML-1 project within the CPEC framework. They also recognized the need for a mass-transit project in Karachi and committed to expediting the Karachi Circular Railway.
P.c. China Pakistan Economic Corridor
The signing of various bilateral agreements during the visit was acknowledged and appreciated by both leaders. PM Shehbaz Sharif congratulated President Xi on his reelection as General Secretary of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and thanked China for its invaluable assistance in Pakistan's post-flood recovery efforts.
The two leaders discussed the progress of Pakistan-China bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and global issues. Their commitment to the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership remained unwavering, with both nations steadfast in pursuing their shared vision of peace, stability, development, and prosperity.
PM Shehbaz Sharif emphasized that Pakistan-China friendship enjoyed unanimous support across Pakistan's political spectrum and served as a model for inter-state relations. He praised President Xi's leadership and China's socio-economic development as a source of inspiration for Pakistan.
Cooperation across various sectors, including defense, trade, agriculture, health, education, green energy, science, technology, and disaster preparedness, was discussed during the meeting. The leaders shared a belief in dialogue and cooperation based on equality and mutual benefit for global peace and prosperity.
Recognizing contemporary challenges such as climate change, health crises, and growing inequalities, both leaders stressed the importance of cooperation among states, in line with the United Nations Charter's principles.
They also addressed regional issues, including the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and Afghanistan. Both leaders agreed that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan would enhance regional security and economic development. They also saw the extension of CPEC to Afghanistan as a means to bolster regional connectivity initiatives.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warmly invited President Xi to visit Pakistan in the near future, an invitation graciously accepted by the Chinese leader. This meeting reaffirmed the enduring strength of the China-Pakistan friendship and its significance for regional peace and stability.