Planning Minister, Chinese Envoy Discuss Bilateral Ties, CPEC Progress

Chinese ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong Thursday called on Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Prof. Ahsan Iqbal and discussed matters related to bilateral interests and progress of CPEC projects

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Nov, 2024) Chinese ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong Thursday called on Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Prof. Ahsan Iqbal and discussed matters related to bilateral interests and progress of CPEC projects.

The meeting was attended by senior officials, including the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Tariq Fatemi; the Secretaries of Communications, Railways, and Interior; as well as senior officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Planning, a news release said.

Ahsan Iqbal, in his opening remarks, condemned the recent attack on Chinese nationals in Karachi, emphasizing that Pakistan would take all necessary measures to bring the perpetrators to justice.

He stated “This heinous act, clearly aimed at damaging Pakistan-China relations, will not be tolerated.”

The government and people of Pakistan, the minister, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Chinese friends during this challenging time and extended sincere condolences to the families of the victims.

He assured the ambassador that the safety of Chinese nationals in Pakistan remained a top priority, and Pakistan would continue working closely with China to ensure the security of Chinese citizens, projects and institutions.

Highlighting the robust bilateral ties, Ahsan Iqbal appreciated the recent visit of the Chinese Premier to Pakistan, emphasizing the need for concrete mechanisms to ensure smooth and effective implementation of bilateral projects.

“Concerned ministries are developing their roadmap/action plan for effective implementation of consensus reached by the leadership of both countries during the recent visit to make CPEC Phase-II successful and to implement recommendations by the Chinese experts,” the minister remarked.

Both sides deliberated on advancing key projects, including the Karachi-Hyderabad section of Main Line-1 (ML-1) and Karakoram Highway (Thakot-Raikot Section) project, and agreed to accelerate the projects’ timely execution.

Regarding the Gwadar Port and Free Zone, both sides expressed a mutual commitment to ensuring the continued development of Gwadar in a holistic manner.

Ambassador Jiang Zaidong expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s comprehensive engagement and stated ”during the visit of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to China in June, 2024, leadership of both countries agreed to promote cooperation in the areas of politics, international affairs, pragmatic projects and security”.

“The recent visit of Chinese Premier to Pakistan is the continuity of this cooperation,” the ambassador stated.

He said Pakistan and China shared unbreakable iron brother bond. The leaders of both countries are committed to fostering the relationship to new heights.

The envoy said Chinese side was ready for collaboration in areas of agriculture, mines & mineral, industrial cooperation on priority basis, reiterated that to further strengthen the security of Chinese personnel and projects in Pakistan.

Ahsan Iqbal highlighted the importance of convening the joint working groups meetings.

“Ministry of Planning holds a fortnightly CPEC progress review meetings with all Federal and provincial stakeholders to ensure smooth implementation of CPEC projects," he added.

The minister also stated that the Ministry of Planning was in coordination with the National Development and Reform Commission of China to arrange high-level workshops for bringing together experts from both sides to outline the future direction of CPEC Phase 2.

This initiative aims to define the specific goals and scope of CPEC’s “five corridors” and align them with, “Eight Points Roadmap of BRI”, and “5Es Framework of Pakistan”.

Both sides reaffirmed that China and Pakistan remained all-weather friends, committed to strengthening their historic partnership through continued collaboration and strategic engagement.