Pressure will not change our ties with China, says PM Imran

Karachi: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that no matter what pressure is put on Pakistan its relationship with China is not going to change.

Speaking to journalists on the occasion of the Chinese Communist Party's (CPC) 100th anniversary, the PM said that the party has an alternative model to western democracy, adding that it has beaten all western "democracies in the way they have promoted merit in the society".

While speaking to Chinese journalists, the PM said that China's system of sifting through talent and bringing it up is better than the democratic system. The premier further said that China's agriculture productivity is much higher than Pakistan's and the aim is to benefit from China's latest techniques.

He shared that he will be going to Gwadar next week to oversee the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.

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While talking about Chinese President Xi Jinping, the PM said everyone has to admire what the president has done, adding that a leader's achievements speak for themselves.

"Leaving out the economic rivalry between the US and China, I can tell you that no matter what the world thinks of China due to its economic dominance, everyone has to admire President Xi," the PM said.

Asked about the situation unfolding in Afghanistan, the PM said that the worrying thing for Pakistan is that it will suffer the most if the neighbour has a civil war as there is a long shared border between the two countries. That is why we want a political settlement, he added.

While talking about taking sides, the PM said Pakistan wants to maintain its relationship with everyone.

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“China has stood with us in all our highs and lows. We think that it is unfair of the US and western powers to expect countries like Pakistan to take sides," the PM said. He said that no matter what pressure is put on Pakistan, its relationship with China is not going to change.

The PM also talked about the treatment of Uighurs in China's Xinjiang province, saying that Pakistan accepts Beijing's version regarding it. He continued that the Chinese version was completely different from the one being reported in western media.

"It is hypocritical that there is no mention of human rights violations in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir in the western media," the premier added.

On China's response to the coronavirus, he said the way the neighbor dealt with the pandemic was unique and its response stood out.

He said Pakistan is very grateful for China for the manner in which they assisted and donated vaccines.