Peace in Afghanistan vital for prosperity of region: FM Bilawal

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Saturday that peace and stability in Afghanistan was vital for the socioeconomic development and prosperity of the region.

Addressing a joint press conference with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang in Islamabad, he said he looked forward to collaborating with China and other stakeholders to achieve peace in the region.

“We will continue to work together with all stakeholders for peaceful, stable, prosperous and united Afghanistan,” he underlined.

He reiterated that Pakistan and China enjoyed strong and long-standing ties as “the two countries have stood with each other for decades and the support will continue in the future”.

FM Bilawal also emphasised Pakistan’s support for China “on all its core issues, including One-China policy, Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and the South China Sea”.

“Pakistan remains profoundly grateful to China for its generous and timely assistance as we continue to grapple with the headwinds in a global economy,” he added.

Bilawal further termed the Pakistan-China friendship as “irreversible and a historic reality, and a “consensus choice of the two nations”. He added that “Pakistan remains against bloc politics or great power competition of any kind.”

“We are committed to remaining engaged with China to promote south-south cooperation, especially in light of emerging global concerns like human-induced climate change,” he vowed.

FM Bilawal also pointed out that this year marks the completion of a decade of CPEC which has accelerated socio-economic development, job creation and improvement of people's livelihoods in Pakistan.

He said that CPEC remains a “win-win economic initiative” opened to all investors around the world and that Pakistan remains profoundly grateful to China for its generous and timely assistance as the country continues to grapple with the headwinds in the global economy.

Foreign Minister of China Qin Gang arrived on a two-day official visit on Friday to participate in the 4th round of the Pakistan-China Strategic Dialogue as well as the 5th China-Pakistan-Afghanistan Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue being held on Saturday.

Upon his arrival at Nur Khan Airbase, he was received by high officials of the Foreign Office.

At the invitation of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, China’s State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang is on his maiden visit to Pakistan since assuming office.