Pakistan thanks Iron Brother – ‘Very difficult to find a friend like China’
Islamabad: Pakistan yesterday thanked Iron Brother China for standing with the government and people of Pakistan to complete the first phase of the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and vowed to complete the CPEC second phase with the same will and determination.
Speaking at a news conference here after the much-awaited 10th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) on CPEC here, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar pointed out that apart from CPEC, Chinese companies were investing heavily in Pakistan.
“Pakistan is proud of China’s friendship. We (Pakistan and China) have successful completed the CPEC’s first phase. The second phase will also be completed just the same way,” he pledged.
He highlighted that China stands with Pakistan at any world forum no matter how much pressure there is. “When vaccines came and we tried to secure them, except for China we got them from nowhere so there is a special relationship. It very difficult to find a friend like China,” he noted.
The delayed JCC was due to meet in July but the meeting was postponed after the Dasu incident in which a number of Chinese nationals were killed.
Asad Umar indicated said that the Chinese investment in Pakistan was growing and along with it, the need for security measures for the investors.
Umar told the journalists that during the JCC meeting, both the Chinese and Pakistani sides, had ‘specially mentioned and emphasised’ on the issue of security. “Need and importance of security is increasing as Chinese investment is rising in Pakistan. The CPEC’s scope is widening and industrial investments are coming in,” he predicted.
The federal minister informed that both sides expressed their grief over the Dasu incident and sympathy with the victims’ families and also affirmed the intent to capture the culprits responsible as soon as possible and get them punished in court.
Umar said a very strong plan of action had been devised last month to further enhance security measures, explaining that a special cell was set up in the interior ministry for this purpose. “This cell is not exclusively China-specific but (for the security of all) foreigners working in Pakistan,” he added.
Despite that, Umar underlines, Pakistan and China’s top political leadership, all the way down to the nation, were committed to the friendship between the two countries.
A decision was also made to extend security arrangements for CPEC projects to any and all incoming Chinese investment, Umar said, while explaining that the Dasu project was not covered by CPEC’s security blanket.
Regarding the scale of incoming Chinese investment in Pakistan, Umar disclosed than half of the country’s foreign direct investment was from China.
The planning minister also provided updates on the agreements and issues discussed in the JCC as well as the progress of other infrastructure projects.
He announced that Memorandum of understanding (MoU) for establishment of a joint working group on information technology industry was signed, letter of exchange of provision of Balochistan solar power lighting equipment and provision of medical equipment and material was inked.
Besides, MoU on Karachi Coastal Comprehensive Development Zone, Agreement of cooperation framework between Ningbo port and Gwadar port as well as lease deed of Gwadar Expo Centre were also signed, the minister shared with the media.
