China-Pakistan working group meeting stresses safe, smooth progress of CPEC projects

Beijing: The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Transportation Infrastructure working group has held its 9th virtual meeting in which the two sides shared “candid exchanges” on “remaining issues” concerning some completed projects and discussed plans for projects under construction, aiming to ensure safe and steady progress.

During the meeting, the Chinese side stressed that both sides should better coordinate project construction and security to steadily push forward major CPEC projects, while the Pakistani side vowed to ensure the safe and smooth progress of projects under construction, Global Times reported quoting a statement issued by Chinese embassy in Islamabad.

The statement also added that during the meeting, the two sides also made clarifications on work arrangement as the next step to promote high-quality development of the CPEC transportation connectivity.

Dai Dongchang, head of the Chinese delegation and vice minister of the Ministry of Transport, and Muhammad Khurram Agha, the head of the Pakistani delegation and the Federal Secretary for Communications and Postal Services, attended the meeting, according to the statement.

The two sides had a candid exchange of views on the remaining issues around completed projects such as the two major China-Pakistan highways – the Havelian-Thakot section of the Karakoram highway, the Multan-Sukkur segment of the Peshawar-Karachi motorway – and the Orange Line in Lahore, and discussed solutions, read the statement.

Progress of projects under construction such as the Gwadar East Bay Expressway and Gwadar New International Airport have also been reviewed, and the two also clarified the work arrangement’s next step, and reached a consensus on promoting follow-up projects such as the Main Line-1 (ML-1) and deepening highway technical cooperation.

China and Pakistan have made great progress in the transport infrastructure construction of the CPEC, which has injected confidence into the high-quality development of the corridor. China will continue to adhere to the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and promote the high-quality development of transport connectivity in the corridor, Dai said.

“It is hoped that the two sides will coordinate the project construction and safety assurance, steadily promote the construction of key corridor projects, and properly solve problems left over from the completed projects,” said Dai.

The Chinese official further noted that China will continue to deepen and expand practical cooperation in connectivity between the two countries, and make new contributions to the high-quality construction of the CPEC and the acceleration of the building of a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era.

The new Pakistani government attaches great importance to the construction of the CPEC and cooperation in transportation connectivity, and is willing to work with the Chinese side to resolve remaining problems in the completed projects, ensuring the safe and smooth progress of the projects under construction, and promoting the inter-connectivity of the two to reach a new level, said Muhammad Khurram Agha.

The CPEC is a framework of regional connectivity, which will not only benefit China and Pakistan but will also have a positive impact the broader region.