Pakistan eyes new heights in relations

Shared view on multilateralism drives friendship with China, foreign chief says

Pakistan attaches great importance to its relationship with China and hopes to take the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries to new heights, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said.

Zardari was in Beijing as part of the delegation accompanying Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on an official visit that began on Tuesday.

Zardari said that the successful conclusion of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China "will build a new impetus for the progress that China will make to go forward and build on the incredible gains that have been made in the past couple of decades".

He said he believes that China will continue to witness economic success despite the difficulties facing the world as a result of the pandemic and other geopolitical issues.

"We also share the vision of your leadership of multilateral cooperation and coexistence on the world stage as a path to peace and prosperity, and we hope to work with your great country in all these areas," he said.

He said Pakistan has enjoyed economic dividends and other practical benefits from the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC, a flagship project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative that is helping to improve the lives of ordinary Pakistanis.

He recalled that before the CPEC came into being, Pakistan had to contend with energy shortages, with the limitations in the country's energy infrastructure requiring practices such as load shedding.

The country has since seen incredible improvements in infrastructure serving both energy and connectivity needs over the past few years as a direct result of the CPEC. Thousands of kilometers of roads and bridges and other infrastructure have been built, and all to the highest standards, he said.

"The Gwadar port, a crown jewel of the CPEC, is now the most advanced port in Pakistan and we're hoping that this will also open up a whole new avenue of economic potential for Pakistan and also as a key hub for regional connectivity and logistics," he said.

He spoke of the successes achieved under the first phase of the CPEC, and said the second phase will be much broader in scope. It will spur industrial relocation, agricultural modernization, science and technology cooperation, job creation and socioeconomic development, Zardari said.

The foreign minister rejected the accusations by some Western countries that the BRI is creating a "debt trap". Zardari said that Pakistan is experiencing the fruits of the CPEC and knows more than any other country how people have responded to the initiative.

"For us, it has been a net positive. We don't see it as any sort of trap," he said. "Unfortunately, I believe that this sort of propaganda is a result of others' insecurities, others' frustration at the success of the BRI and the CPEC.

"But we have to be cognizant and we have to be aware and have to be ready to counter such propaganda with facts," he added. He said that China and Pakistan have always stood by each other and supported efforts to maintain regional stability. The neighbors have worked together in ways that seek to promote unity, as opposed to divisiveness, and cooperation, as opposed to confrontation.

"I believe our two countries will continue to uphold the values of multilateralism and play our role to foster peace and stability to different regions and among various countries."

Course for development

He said that every nation has the right to chart a course for development that is best suited to its own domestic conditions. Pakistan has been clear that topics related to Taiwan, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and the Xinjiang Uygur and Tibet autonomous regions are China's internal affairs and strongly opposes any attempt to interfere with Chinese domestic matters. Pakistan also adheres to the one-China principle, as this concept is about China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, which should be respected, the minister said.

He thanked the Chinese government and the people for their immense support and generosity after Pakistan experienced devastating floods in recent months. As extreme weather events become more frequent, Zardari said, the international community must work together to not only address the root causes of the problem but also come up with financial mechanisms for countries like Pakistan to deal with tragedies on such a large scale.

"We look forward to working with China and other countries to ensure that everybody plays their role in combating climate change and that the developed countries live up to their obligations. And we collectively face this challenge to humanity," he said.

chenyingqun@chinadaily.com.cn