RAWALPINDI, Pakistan: China has appreciated progress of an effective across the board Operation Zarb-e-Azb by Pakistan Army which helped eliminate East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) just as it eliminated elements of all other terrorist groups based in the area.
The appreciation came when the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif at the Army’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on Wednesday.
During the meeting, focus of discussion between the two sides was on regional security, enhanced bilateral defence and security cooperation between Pakistan and China.
While underlining the importance of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Wang Yi said that that CPEC will have highly significant and long-term impacts on the region and is equally beneficial for people of Pakistan and China.
The COAS reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to ensure secure environment for timely completion and subsequent management of CPEC in the best interest of prosperous region.
Earlier in the day, the Chinese foreign minister also called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad on Wednesday.
During the meeting, the prime minister said that the Chinese leadership played a key role in laying the foundations of CPEC.
“We are thankful to China for supporting Pakistan in our energy and infrastructure sector,” Sharif said.
On the occasion, Chinese foreign minister said that Pakistan and China have shared future. He said that the CPEC is the largest comprehensive project with any foreign country.
Wang Yi along with foreign ministers and high-level representatives of the participating and supporting countries, as well as high-level representatives of supporting regional and international organizations from over 30 countries was in Islamabad to attend the fifth ministerial Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process which concluded on Wednesday reaffirming the commitment by all member states to the principles and objectives to promote regional peace and prosperity with collective efforts.
“We reaffirm our commitment to the principles, objectives, and outcomes of these Conferences that have defined the parameters for the working of Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process aimed at promoting regional peace and prosperity,” reiterated the participants in the joint declaration issued at the completion of the fifth Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process: Enhanced Cooperation for Countering Security Threats and Promoting Connectivity, held here at Foreign Office.
