Prime Minister Imran Khan held a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing yesterday.
The two leaders were accompanied by ministers and senior government officials from their respective governments.
Reaffirming “All-weather strategic co-operative partnership” between Pakistan and China, the two leaders exchanged views on the entire gamut of bilateral relations in a warm and cordial atmosphere.
They affirmed the resolve to further strengthen their strategic co-operative partnership in all fields including political, security, economic and trade, and people-to-people exchanges.
Khan thanked Xi for the warm and gracious welcome accorded to him in China, and for China’s steadfast support to Pakistan on all issues.
He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s support to China on all issues of its core interest.
Khan also congratulated Xi on the successful convening of the 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF), and highlighted its significance as an important international platform for connectivity and sharing of experience among the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) participating countries.
The BRI, Xi’s signature foreign policy, aims to reinvent the ancient Silk Road to connect Asia to Europe and Africa through massive investments in maritime, road and rail projects – with hundreds of billions of dollars in financing from Chinese banks.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s unflinching commitment to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the prime minister highlighted the CPEC’s next phase and its extension into new areas of agriculture, industrial development, and socio-economic uplift with livelihood projects.
Xi reiterated China’s unwavering support to Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and appreciated the Pakistan government’s agenda for socio-economic development and people-centred progress.
He affirmed that China-Pakistan ties would continue to acquire greater strength and deepen practical co-operation in the time to come.
The two sides also exchanged their outlook on the regional situation, including that of Afghanistan and South Asia.
Xi further expressed China’s appreciation for Pakistan’s sustained and successful efforts in the fight against terrorism and to create a peaceful neighbourhood.
Both sides expressed satisfaction over the close co-operation between the two countries at multilateral fora and resolved to further deepen communication and coordination at all levels.
They also agreed to keep the momentum of high-level exchanges between the two countries.
Pakistan and China also signed the key “ML-1” railways agreement yesterday.
The signing ceremony in Beijing was attended by Prime Minister Khan and his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang.
In a statement, Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed called it a great day in the history of Pakistan Railways.
“Under the project, a double track from Peshawar to Karachi will be laid,” he said, adding that the speed of train on the new track will be 160kph.