ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that the Pakistan Tehreek-Insaf (PTI) government is fully committed to complete ongoing projects under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and make it a High Quality Demonstration Project of China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
“CPEC is a transformational project. It is the No. 1 priority for PTI government,” Qureshi said at the Ruling Parties Dialogue between Communist Party of China (CPC) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) held on Wednesday.
The following are remarks by the Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi at the Ruling Parties Dialogue between CPC and PTI:
“Excellency Minister Song Tao,
Senior Vice President PTI,
Vice-Minister Chen Zhou,
Good Afternoon!
First of all, I would like to commend my dear friend and comrade Minister Song Tao for this very timely initiative to convene this meeting today.
I fondly recall our inaugural interaction for this forum in Beijing in March 2019. It is heartening that we have been able to carry forward the momentum of our last discussions and further solidify good cooperation between PTI and CPC.
I fully agree with what you have just said. Your remarks reflected the true spirit of our bilateral relations.
Excellency,
We are meeting at an important juncture in our national histories, and history of our bilateral relations.
Pakistan and China have completed seventy years of ‘iron clad’ friendship on 21 May 2021. China has realized the goal of eradicating extreme poverty. Moreover, CPC will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its founding this year in July. These are momentous occasions for our two countries and political parties.
I will congratulate the people of two countries, Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping and your Excellency for these momentous accomplishments.
Excellency,
With joint efforts of successive generations and leaderships of two countries, China-Pakistan friendship has gone from strength-to-strength with each passing day. Our relationship is based on mutual trust, understanding and commonality of interests. This relationship is deeply rooted in the hearts of peoples of two countries and has withstood tests of time.
CPEC is a transformational project. It is the No. 1 priority for PTI government. We are fully committed to complete ongoing CPEC projects and make CPEC a High Quality Demonstration Project of BRI. We also look forward to further enhance development and construction of CPEC in its Second Phase with more focus on industrialization, poverty alleviation, job creation and socio-economic development.
During COVID-19 pandemic, our cooperation remained exemplary. We supported each other, within our capacities, to effectively control the pandemic. In this regard, I will congratulate Chinese leadership and whole Chinese nation for a successful ‘People’s War’ against the pandemic and remarkable economic recovery, and thank Chinese leadership for consistent support to Pakistan in our fight against the pandemic.
After seven decades, our relationship has transformed into an ‘All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership’. We should forge our energies and visions to jointly build ‘Closer China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future in the New Era’.
Excellency,
Party-to-Party relations are an important facet of our bilateral cooperation. Communist Party of China and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf enjoy cordial relationship. In past few years, we have learnt from each other’s experiences through enhanced interaction and mutual exchanges.
As Chairman PTI and Prime Minister Imran Khan says, China’s remarkable achievements in all around national development are a role model for all developing countries. The elimination of extreme poverty in China and recent landing of China’s spacecraft on Mars are a testimony to this fact.
We look forward to further deepen Party-to-Party cooperation between PTI and CPC, learn from each other, and share vital experiences on governance, party building and party organization.
In this regard, the proposed MoU, which we will sign today, will further strengthen our cooperation.
I also welcome your proposals to further enhance cooperation between our two political parties.
Excellency,
CPC’s vision of realizing ‘Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation’ and PTI’s vision of building ‘Naya Pakistan’ are the common aspirations of the people of two countries.
We stand ready to enhance cooperation between our two countries and two political parties for realization of our respective Dreams.
I look forward to meet your Excellency in future and have more interactions and exchanges between our two political parties.
Long live China-Pakistan Friendship!
Long live PTI-CPC Cooperation!
I thank you.”
