'Pakistan committed to work with China, partners on open global economy goals'

BEIJING: Caretaker Prime Minister (PM) Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar Wednesday said Pakistan was committed to working with China and other regional partners in achieving the ideals of an open global economy.

He was speaking at the two-day BRI forum in Beijing to mark the 10 years of the multi-billion dollar cross-regional Belt and Road Initiative.

Representatives from 140 countries are attending the BRI forum.

PM Kakar said Pakistan endorsed China’s vision of global connectivity and also looked forward to joining hands with other partners across borders and regions to materialize the projects.

“I am hopeful that together we can shape a world with the bonds that unite us together, rather than the forces that divide us,” he said.

PM Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar congratulated President Xi Jinping for his revolutionary idea of the Belt and Road Initiative launched 10 years ago that proved instrumental in bringing common development and shared prosperity.

“The BRI’s concept of shared future for mankind is not about road and railway infrastructure, but also to create linkages among civilizations and nations,” he said.

Kakar highlighted that BRI’s flagship project China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) played a crucial role in generating new economic opportunities in Pakistan. In Pakistan, he said CPEC’s 50 projects worth $25 billion investment resulted in the creation of modern highways, seaports, airports, and rapid mass transit systems.

Underscoring its salience for Pakistan’s robust economic development, he endorsed the Chinese proposal for developing CPEC as a corridor of growth, innovation, livelihood, green economy, openness, and inclusiveness.

Kakar emphasised the urgency of addressing infrastructure gaps in the developing world by investing in transportation, energy, and digital economy.

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He said the government of Pakistan had taken steps to make the country a trade hub by connecting Gwadar with the landlocked countries, thus opening new vistas to the west and beyond.

Kakar expressed confidence that as CPEC crossed its decade of launch, the next phase would be poised to accommodate rural farmers, students, and small tradesmen and ensure improvement in living standards, poverty alleviation, and jobs creation.

He said Pakistan’s collaboration with China in the information technology sector and CPEC’s green corridor would ensure modernization, food security, and agricultural and environmental protection.

“This vision promotes cooperation, collective security, inclusive and sustainable development, and a balanced eco-system as the only way to address global challenges,” he said.