CPEC & Iran Clad Friendship of Pak and China
In his first speech, newly elected Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed his government’s foremost priority to gear up China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in the country. During his maiden speech he highlighted the strategic significance of friendship between Pakistan and China and termed it as vital for socio-economic prosperity and greater regional connectivity.
Unfortunately, somehow the various projects of CPEC could not be materialized during the previous regime due to which ultimate goals of economic stability and sustainability remained compromised.
The Chinese Foreign Minister appreciated the strong commitment of newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and considered it a good omen for the rapid growth of the CPEC in the country. It hopes that bilateral relations between two countries will be “worry-free” even if there is a political change in the country.
In this regard, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian described Pakistan as China’s “iron-clad brothers true to the name. He reassured that China would give priority to Pakistan in its neighborhood diplomacy as always.
He pledged Chinese government readiness to work with the new Pakistani government to have close exchanges at all levels, substantiate and expand practical cooperation, build the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) toward the sustainable, livelihood-oriented and high-standard objectives, and accelerate the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era for the well-being of the two countries and the two peoples. He further described the China-Pakistan relations as “rock-solid and unbreakable,” and said China looks forward to carrying on the traditional friendly cooperation.
He expressed appreciation to Sharif’s remarks and noted that China is ready to work with Pakistan to continue to further advance the high-quality development of CPEC and build it into a demonstration program of high-quality development under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Moreover, the Chinese charge d’affaires met PM Shehbaz Sharif on the second day after he was sworn into office which vividly reflected close liaison and diplomatic comfort between the two countries.
While meeting with the Chinese Deputy Head of Mission, Premier Sharif said that the new government of Pakistan attached great importance to developing relations with China, and was ready to further strengthen bilateral cooperation and promote the building of the CPEC with stronger initiative and higher efficiency.
It is true that ever since Sharif was elected prime minister he has been speaking highly of China-Pakistan relations in his speeches. In Sharif’s inauguration speech, he promised to vigorously promote the construction of the CPEC, noting that China is a faithful, reliable and trustworthy partner of Pakistan, and the friendship between the two countries will last forever.
Sharif’s statements are also frequently echoed by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. The China-Pakistan friendship has been the top topic in the ministry’s past few news conferences, repeatedly stressed by the spokesperson. In this context, Qian Feng, Director of the Research Department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University spoke highly about Pak-China iron-clad friendship and considered it as important for achieving dreams of greater regional connectivity and immense socio-economic integration.
Qian reassured positive, productive and participatory spirit in the bilateral relations of Pak-China in the future, because the China-Pakistan relationship was not built in a day or could be shaken by one or two people. Instead, it is based on the long friendship between the two countries at all levels. Thus gearing up CPEC and the start of CPEC Phase II would bring wonders to the country.
He was of the opinion that CPEC has been benefiting the Chinese and Pakistani people along the route and has entered the second phase of construction of high quality, and Sharif is expected to pay more attention to the positive social and economic benefits brought by the project, and continue to work with China to advance the project in the direction of high quality.
Furthermore, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the foreign ministers’ meeting between the three countries in Tunxi, East China’s Anhui Province on March 30 suggested that China, Afghanistan and Pakistan could jointly build the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) extend the CPEC to Afghanistan, and help Afghanistan participate in regional connectivity.
Newly-elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been labeled as “speed man” in China and that is why he remained very famous among the policy makers and government officials. Undoubtedly, Premier Sharif has diversified but integrated experience having strong political commitment will again stimulate CPEC in the country.
He has rich corporate expertise to deal with mega projects which would be useful to carry forward various projects of CPEC in the country. In the past, his rich negotiation skills proved productive to pursue approval of numerous CPEC projects on concessional rates from the Chinese government.
In this connection, while visiting the city of light and meeting with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah PM Sharif assured that the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) project will be included in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)-related projects. Thus expected inclusion of KCR would further diversify the orientation of the CPEC in the country.
To conclude, it is suggested that the newly elected Prime Minister should immediately chalk out a holistic and comprehensive policy and road-map for the gearing up of the CPEC & CPEC Phase II in the country. In this regard, priority should be given to green industrialization through the widespread networking of special economic free zones. In this regard, reallocation of funds and befitting shifting of geographical territories is the need of the hour which would stimulate more foreign and domestic investment in CPEC projects.
Furthermore, massive but systematic development in the agriculture sector should be the priority of the newly elected premier of Pakistan. More focus should be given to hybrid farming, seeding, double cropping, fisheries, horticulture, animal husbandry, Halal food production & processing, agro-industry and last but not the least, plantation through drones, revival of forestry and green revolution in sandy and deserts must be strategic priority of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in which CPEC would play very important role in the days to come.
Health, education, poverty reduction, energy & food security, science & technology cooperation, media cooperation, ICT, digitalization, artificial intelligence technologies and last but not the least revival of SMEs should be included in the ongoing and upcoming CPEC Phase II.
Rapidly changing socio-economic, geopolitical and geostrategic trends should be eye opener for the policy makers of the country and that is why special attention should be given to build a series of “LNG Terminals” in the country under the flagship project of CPEC in the country. Further diversification of energy projects in terms of supply, production, scope and utility is the need of the hour. It is recommended that more small, medium and big projects of hydro-energy must be immediately included in the CPEC.
Close cooperation in tourism, civil aviation, banking & finance, pharmaceutical, organic food, sport items, construction, and infrastructural development should be part and parcel of the CPEC in which the die hard spirit of the newly elected Prime Minister would be a value addition.
