ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China have reaffirmed commitment to the high-quality development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), identifying agriculture technology, mines and minerals, industrial parks, offshore oil and gas exploration, environment protection and connectivity as priority areas for win-win cooperation.
Both sides committed to fast-tracking implementation of projects in these sectors to foster socio-economic development and shared prosperity, including through third-party participation in CPEC projects.
The affirmation comes after Ambassador Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, Additional Secretary (Asia-Pacific) met with Sun Weidong, Vice Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China, in Kunming on the margins of the 6th China-South Asia Cooperation Forum (CSACF).
The additional secretary and vice foreign minister undertook in-depth exchange of views on the fast-evolving regional and global landscape while reaffirming the enduring strength of the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership.
They agreed on the importance of maintaining strategic communication and coordination in navigating emerging challenges and harnessing shared opportunities for regional stability and prosperity.
The two sides also emphasised the imperative of maintaining the momentum of high-level exchanges, including the upcoming 6th Round of Pakistan-China Strategic Dialogue at the Foreign Ministers’ level to even further deepen the mutual trust and cooperation.
Underscoring their shared commitment to multilateralism, both sides reaffirmed their resolve to coordinate policies at international fora, particularly at the United Nations, to uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and promote an open, inclusive and rules-based international order.
Meanwhile, Pakistan participates in the 6th CSACF in Kunming. Ambassador Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, Additional Secretary (Asia-Pacific) addressed the 6th CSACF in Kunming Friday.
Speaking at the Forum under the theme, “Join Hands for Open and Inclusive Development,” the additional secretary underscored Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to multilateralism guided by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and reaffirmed that peace and development are mutually reinforcing pillars for building a stable and prosperous region.
Lauding China’s leadership in hosting the Forum, Ambassador Siddiqui noted that high-quality development under Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), exemplified by its flagship project of CPEC, has transformed the socio-economic landscape of the region. The additional secretary emphasised that lasting regional peace in the region cannot be achieved without addressing and resolving long-standing disputes, particularly in territories under foreign occupation.
He called for adherence to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence centred on respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-aggression, non-interference, equality and peaceful resolution of disputes, as the cornerstone for regional cooperation.
The additional secretary also proposed the establishment of China-South Asia Development Forum (CSADF) which can serve as a high-level mechanism to advance practical cooperation in priority areas driving shared prosperity and inclusive development in the region.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
