Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif yesterday addressed the plenary session of the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International Co-operation in Beijing, where he stressed that geo-economics should take precedence over geopolitics, a statement said.
Prime Minister Sharif, who had arrived in the Chinese capital on Friday to participate in the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) forum, said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) must not be politicised, adding that the corridor remains open to all countries.
He said that CPEC is at the core of China’s One Belt, One Road initiative, which has fostered inclusion and tolerance in the region.
“We are not striving to merely leverage geography for economic prosperity; we are also trying to build a peaceful, connected and caring neighbourhood,” the PM said.
CPEC, which connects Pakistan to East and West Asia, has not only made the country a destination for cross-regional trade, but also a channel through which such trade flows, the prime minister said.
He added that efforts must be made to resolve conflict and transcend differences. 
Nawaz Sharif said that “with the help of our Chinese friends an environment had been created for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to take off and has started to create new entrepreneurs, jobs and businesses.”
 “CPEC is owned and nurtured by all of Pakistan,” the prime minister said during the conference.
 He added that it is compatible with the country’s vision for 2025, where investment is undertaken in different sectors such as energy, industry, trade and transport.
He also said that efforts were being made to bridge the gap between economic growth and social development through a focus on education, gender mainstreaming and health.
A day earlier, the PM told Chinese President Xi Jinping that extensive efforts were being made for the implementation of the CPEC.
Hailing China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif yesterday called Beijing a “close friend and trusted ally” of Islamabad.
Sharif congratulated China for hosting the “Belt and Road Forum for International Co-operation” and for choosing a very apt theme for this Summit: “Co-operation for Common Prosperity”.
“This is a historic event. It will build critical pathways in the years to come for economic and financial co-operation, business-to-business collaboration, and people-to-people contacts,” he said.
Sharif told the gathering that Pakistan admires and commends China’s vision and ingenuity in developing corridors across regions; in building supportive financial institutions such as the Silk Road Fund and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and in launching China Railway Express trains that construct a new bridge on the Eurasian landmass.
“One Belt-One Road” is an inter-continental mega-project that integrates infrastructure, energy, trade, telecommunications, investment and industrial development. Such a broad sweep and scale of interlocking economic partnerships and investments is unprecedented in history. We stand at the cusp of a geo-economic revolution. In fact, this is the dawn of a truly new era of synergetic intercontinental co-operation,” he said.
Sharif added that Pakistan views the OBOR initiative as a conscious and humanistic endeavour to take humankind to a higher level of prosperity, peace and stability through connectivity and close contact.
Noting that peace and development go hand in hand, Sharif added that nothing can pave the path for peace and security more than economic development achieved through regional collaboration.
He added that Islamabad sees the OBOR as a powerful tool for overcoming terrorism and extremism.
“Pakistan believes that the most powerful impact of OBOR will be on the lives of poor and marginalised people, who would have higher incomes, better education and more health facilities. It would help in eradicating poverty and achieving Sustainable Development, leaving no one behind,” he said.
Sharif is leading a high level delegation along with four provincial chief ministers, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Railways Minister Saad Rafique, Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir and IT Minister Anushay Rehman, among others to attend the international forum to highlight the Chinese initiative of “One Belt One Road.
During his six-day visit, Prime Minister Sharif is scheduled to meet several Chinese leaders.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday met Prime Minister Sharif and asserted that China-Pakistan relations remain a priority for Beijing.
The two sides also signed several memoranda of understanding (MoU) on Saturday.
As many as 28 heads of state and government, over 50 leaders of international organisations, over 100 ministerial-level officials, as well as over 1,200 delegates from various countries and regions are participating in the Belt and Road Forum for International Co-operation summit.
OBOR is a Chinese initiative that focuses on connectivity and co-operation among countries primarily China and the rest of Eurasia, which consists of two main components, the land-based “Silk Road Economic Belt” (SREB) and ocean-going “Maritime Silk Road” (MSR).
“The CPEC is a core component of your visionary initiative of the One-Belt-One-Road project. We sincerely appreciate your commitment and leadership for the realisation of CPEC projects,” he said during a meeting with President Xi on the sidelines of the BRF.
The BRF which is part of the ‘Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road’ initiative launched by President Xi Jinping in 2013.
The May 14-15 forum is being attended by 29 heads of state and government, besides delegates from around 130 countries.