China and Pakistan pledged to defend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) from critics and opponents, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assuring Beijing that all workers on multibillion-dollar projects will receive total protection.
At President Xi Jinping’s invitation, PM Shehbaz will be in China from June 4 to 8, with the aim of enhancing collaboration under the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a vital component of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.
The PM’s Office released a statement after the meeting in which they agreed to accelerate the timely completion of all related infrastructure projects to turn Gwadar into a regional economic hub and addressed the importance of Gwadar as a key pillar of CPEC.
“They also expressed their firm commitment to protect CPEC from its detractors and adversaries and to upgrade CPEC in the form of enhanced cooperation,” added the statement.
Additionally, the prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the security and safety of Chinese workers and projects within Pakistan.
Since 2013, China has been a major contributor to the struggling economy of the South Asian country. This assistance has included rolling over loans, which have allowed Islamabad to meet its external finance demands at a time when its foreign reserves are critically low.
Under the $65 billion CPEC plan, China has also spent billions in numerous road networks and electricity projects in Pakistan; however, the pace at which these projects are being implemented has slowed recently.
