BEIJING: A spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Office Hua Chunying expressed her confidence that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will continue to function smoothly and it will achieve its desired socio-economic targets.
Asked to comment on western media’s reports about the CPEC’s working in wake of Pakistan’s debt risk and decline foreign reserves, she pointed out that a few days ago, Pakistan’s Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar has issued a statement to clarify the position, stressing that the Pakistan side will unswervingly push forward the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
The Chinese side has noted the shortage of foreign exchange reserves in Pakistan and believes that the Pakistani side can overcome temporary difficulties and maintain stable economic development.
In recent years, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has played a positive role in maintaining a high growth rate of the Pakistani economy and has received the full support of the Pakistani government and people.
We believe that the corridor will be steadily advanced according to the consensus reached between China and Pakistan and will not be interfered by other factors, she added.
Hua Chunying said the western media’s report quoting Pakistani officials as saying that the current debt risk of Pakistan has surged and foreign exchange reserves are in short supply is inaccurate.
About the 8th Ministerial Meeting of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum held in Beijing, the spokesperson said this is a meeting to create history, plan for the future, focus on cooperation, and promote peace. Thanks to the joint efforts of China and Arab countries, the meeting has achieved fruitful results.
They also put forward many forward-looking proposals on strengthening cooperation between China and Arab countries in building the “Belt and Road”. The innovative and pioneering important initiatives have opened a new chapter in the development of China-Arab relations and pointed out the way forward.
The two sides signed three important outcome documents of the Beijing Declaration, the Forum Action Plan for 2018-2020 and the Declaration on the Action of the China-Arab Cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative, which will outline the development of China-Arab relations in the coming period.
A clear, systematic and complete blueprint. The Beijing Declaration focuses on the connotation of China-Arab strategic partnership and reaffirms the mutual support of each other’s core interests. It sums up the common ideas of the two sides on international and regional issues such as Palestine, anti-terrorism and Security Council reform, and clarifies the deepening of China-Arab relations and collective The direction of cooperation.
The Forum’s Action Plan for Action from 2018 to 2020 proposes new cooperation plans and new initiatives covering nearly 20 fields including economy, trade, industry, energy and culture.
The representatives of the Arab side fully endorsed the new blueprint drawn by President Xi in the development of the relations between the two countries, emphasizing the direction and concept of the foreign policy.
The Chinese side is highly consistent and agrees to work with China to promote the building of a new type of international relations and promote the building of a community of human destiny. It is eager to participate in the construction of the “Belt and Road” and is willing to work with China to earnestly implement the results of the conference and deepen pragmatic cooperation with China in various fields. The China-China strategic partnership is moving forward.
The Chinese side is very satisfied with the outcome of the meeting. Facing the future, China and the Arab countries, as strategic partners, will go hand in hand in the process of development and national rejuvenation in their respective countries, jointly promote China-Arab friendship and cooperation and jointly create a bright future of peace and prosperity and common prosperity
