ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China on Monday (31st of July, 2023) signed six documents that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said would further enhance bilateral cooperation and help undertake the second phase of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) under a new model.
Held at the PM House, the signing ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Shehbaz and Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng, who, along with a delegation, is visiting Pakistan to attend the 10th-anniversary celebrations of CPEC.
Both countries signed Document on the Joint cooperation Committee on CPEC; MoU on establishing an export exchange mechanism within the framework of CPEC; a protocol of phytosanitary requirements for the export of dry chilies from Pakistan to China and a Document on the final report on the feasibility study of realignment of KKH Phase-II.
Both sides also signed through diplomatic channels an MoU on the industrial workers exchange program as well as minutes of the 21st conference of a technical committee to promote the strategic ML-1 project.
The prime minister, in his remarks at the signing ceremony, expressed pleasure over the signing of documents and thanked Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng for visiting Pakistan to celebrate 10 years of CPEC.
He recalled that 10 years ago, CPEC was signed between that time Prime Minister Nawaz and President Xi Jinping and implementation was started within no time.
“Today we can claim that under CPEC above $25 billion investment took place in power, road, hydel power, and public transport. Now we are entering the second phase. Today, we signed certain important documents which will further enhance cooperation and undertake the second phase of CPEC under a new model,” the PM said.
He said the second phase of CPEC would feature the B2B investment in agriculture and information technology to enable Pakistan to export its products according to Chinese standards and requirements.
The prime minister also thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping for sending his special envoy to Pakistan and showing solidarity for people-to-people friendship and showing to the world that both countries were bound in a great and unique relationship.
“We are all-weather friends and iron brothers. This friendship will continue and will not tolerate any kind of obstacle in its way,” he remarked.
He said Pakistan was absolutely ready to contribute to President Xi’s vision of shared prosperity.
Highlighting the importance of ML-1 and Karachi Circular Railway, the prime minister expressed the hope that both projects would be successfully executed to make Pakistan stand on its own feet through the hard work and untiring efforts of both countries.
“It is the Chinese model, It is President Xi Jinping’s model, and will emulate it under the vision of our Pakistan’s founding father late Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah to promote prosperity and peace in this country,” he commented.
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