BEIJING: Prime Minister Imran Khan Saturday lauded China’s phenomenal success in improving governance, poverty alleviation and anti-corruption drive as key elements of Chinese development model.
Talking to Chairman National People’s Congress Li Zhanshu at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the prime minister also appreciated the crucial role the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will be playing in Pakistan’s economic growth and prosperity.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Imran Khan highlighted his government’s focus on socio-economic development and livelihood projects. He expressed the hope that development of special economic zones and industrial cooperation would bring new opportunities for the peoples of the two countries.
Li Zhanshu reaffirmed China’s commitment to relations with Pakistan that had grown at a fast pace with the development of CPEC, saying his country would continue to stand with Pakistan at all times. Both the leaders agreed to carry forward the momentum of bilateral visit and enhance parliamentary linkages. They agreed that parliamentary exchanges between two sides would play a crucial role in further cementing the bilateral ties. They also underscored the commitment to enhance cooperation in political, cultural, educational and people-to-people ties.
At a separate meeting with Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan, Prime Minister Imran Khan underscored the significance of Pakistan-China strategic cooperative relations and agreed to continue furthering cooperation on issues of regional and global significance.
During the meeting, both the leaders exchanged views on a range of bilateral, regional and international issues and posed their full confidence in the time-tested relationship between the two countries.
Prime Minister Imran Khan praised China for lifting its 700 million people out of poverty and its successful anti-corruption drive. “My government will like to learn from the Chinese experience on poverty reduction and anti-corruption,” he said, adding that socio-economic uplift, industrial development, establishing special economic zones and livelihood projects were his priority areas under the CPEC.
He invited Chinese business leaders to relocate the labour-intensive industry to Pakistan and reiterated the country’s s principled support for promoting open market policies.
The Chinese vice-president said Pakistan and China were all-weather strategic cooperative partners. “The CPEC as the flagship project of Belt and Road Initiative has taken that relationship to new heights to achieve a community of shared destiny,” he added.
Meanwhile, heads of major Chinese business groups called on Prime Minister Imran Khan. The executives included Chen Fenjian, Chairman China Railways Construction Corporation (CRCC); Chen Siqing, Chairman Bank of China Group (BOCG); Yan Zhiyong, Chairman Power China; Da Can Like, Chairman China Rainbow International Investment; Charles Yang, President Huawei Middle East Region and Lyu Zexiang, President China Gezhouba.
The business leaders congratulated the prime minster on his party’s victory in the elections and assuming the office of the prime minster. They hoped that under the leadership of the prime minster, Pakistan would enter into a new era of development. They expressed their gratitude for the support Pakistan was extending to the Chinese companies in hydropower, renewable energy, construction, infrastructure development, ICT and other sectors, particularly under the CPEC initiative. They expressed their desire to further invest in Pakistan’s socio-economic sectors.
The prime minister shared his socio-economic reform agenda with the Chinese business leaders and expressed satisfaction over the progress on projects under the CPEC. Highlighting immense market potential and geo-strategic advantage of Pakistan, the prime minister encouraged the business leaders to explore investment opportunities in the diverse socio-economic sectors of Pakistan and assured maximum facilitation to the Chinese business companies for doing business in Pakistan.
Published in Daily Times, November 4th 2018.
