CPEC cooperation: China says it ‘fully’ agrees with Alvi’s assessment

BEIJING: President Dr Arif Alvi has made a positive assessment on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) cooperation which has advanced despite the Covid-19 pandemic and the Chinese side fully agrees with him.

"The Chinese side fully agrees with the positive assessment made by President Dr Arif Alvi on the CPEC cooperation," Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday during his regular briefing in response to a question about the President's recent interview to the Chinese media.

He said CPEC had been developing with a positive momentum since its inception in 2013, as a pioneer project of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

"As we have talked about it before, China and Pakistan have been working together to fight the pandemic and despite the challenges posed by pandemic, all the CPEC projects have been effectively moved ahead," he said.

He remarked that cooperation between the two countries had provided an important support to the Pakistan's efforts to fight the pandemic and stabilize its economy.

The spokesperson said, functioning of power transmission line from Mitiari to Lahore help enhance power supply network in Pakistan. About Lahore Metro Orange Line, he said with the launch of this mega transport project, Pakistan has entered in the era of subway.

While commenting on Gwadar port, an important component of the CPEC, he said

the port processed 26,000 tons of fertilizer for Afghanistan in two batches this month only in four days while 22,000 tons fertilizer was unloaded setting a record.

Wang Wenbin said the Chinese side would continue to work with Pakistan to implement the consensus reached by the two leaders and continue to advance CPEC.

"We will ensure steady implementation of the current projects and focus on industrial and agricultural fields," he added.

He said the Chinese side would ensure that high quality Belt and Road cooperation would deliver greater benefits to the two countries and people in the region.

During the interview with CCTV, the President said Pakistan's ties with China had been strengthened as the two countries worked together to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic as well as deepen cooperation on CPEC.

Dr Alvi also hailed China's assistance in tackling the pandemic in Pakistan.

China had shared its experience of regular epidemic prevention and sent seven batches of medical supplies as well as two medical teams to help Pakistan, he said.

Earlier this year, the Gwadar port, one of the key projects under CPEC, officially started taking cargo under the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement.

It was proved as a huge potential of the Gwadar port, Alvi said adding that a number of developmental projects were currently in full swing to further boost trade between Pakistan and Central Asian states.