China and Pakistan to Cooperate to Develop China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

As per Xinhua, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated on July 31 that China will work with Pakistan to achieve high-quality, sustainable, and livelihood-enhancing outcomes and to further develop the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into an exemplary project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

Xi made the remarks in a message of congratulations to the Decade of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor event in Islamabad, Pakistan. Despite the looming economic crisis that has gripped Pakistan as a result of increased Chinese loans in the country, the event for the disputed CPEC project took place.

CPEC, in particular, is a flagship project of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Xi said, "This has added new impetus to the economic and social development of Pakistan and laid a good foundation for regional connectivity and integration. It is a vivid testament to the all-weather friendship between China and Pakistan and provides an important underpinning for building an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era."

Xi emphasised that China and Pakistan will continue to improve overall planning as well as expand and deepen cooperation, and he stated that no matter how the international landscape changes, China will always stand firmly with Pakistan.

Xi added that China and Pakistan will continue to work together and forge ahead in solidarity to carry forward the ironclad friendship, coordinate development and security, pursue the cooperation of higher standards, broader scope, and greater depth, and take the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership to new heights, in order to contribute even more to peace and prosperity in the two countries and the broader region.