Pakistan and China Strengthen Belt and Road Partnership

China and Pakistan have agreed to deepen their strategic partnership and accelerate development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), one of the flagship projects of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The announcement came in a joint statement issued after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Beijing, where he held talks with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.

The two countries declared a “new broad consensus” on infrastructure development, expanding China-Pakistan links and turning the strategic Gwadar port into a regional transport and trade hub. The plans also include upgrades to the Karakoram Highway and stronger links through the Khunjerab Pass, a major land route between the two countries.

Pakistan also pledged tighter security measures to protect Chinese workers and investments. Security has become a sensitive issue for Beijing following a series of militant attacks targeting Chinese citizens in Pakistan.

The talks also covered regional diplomacy. China praised Islamabad’s role in efforts to broker a ceasefire between the US and Iran and supported Pakistan’s initiatives to stabilize the Middle East. Both countries reiterated support for the one-China principle, with Pakistan describing Taiwan as an “integral” part of China.

On Afghanistan, Beijing and Islamabad agreed that their territories must not be used by militant groups to launch attacks or destabilize the region.

(reuters, max)