Pakistan A ‘Priority’ In China’s Neighbourhood Diplomacy: Chinese Premier Li Tells Pak PM Imran Khan Niazi

Beijing, (PTI) Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Saturday said that Pakistan is a “priority” in China’s neighbourhood diplomacy as he met his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan who assured him that his government will do its utmost to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals and projects in his country.

Li, the second-ranking leader of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) after Chinese President Xi Jinping, has expressed China’s willingness to strengthen all-dimensional practical cooperation with Pakistan, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

China always takes Pakistan as a “priority” in its neighbourhood diplomacy and supports Pakistan's pursuit of prosperity, Li said, highlighting the importance China attaches to its close strategic ties with Pakistan.

Khan is here at the invitation of the Chinese government and attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics on Friday.

Exchanging views on the regional security situation, Khan highlighted the 'serious situation' in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan's state-run APP news agency reported. However, the Xinhua news agency did not mention the Kashmir issue in its report on the meeting between Li and Khan.

Khan highlighted that the strategic ties between Pakistan and China served the fundamental interests of the two countries and were a factor of peace and stability in the region.

He said the successful celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations held last year injected a new impetus to the bilateral friendship.

Li said that China supports its enterprises to invest in Pakistan and appreciates the Pakistani government's efforts to safeguard the safety of Chinese firms and personnel in the country.

Li, in his meeting with Khan, said that China will actively consider expanding the import of agricultural products from Pakistan.

Khan said that the “all-weather” strategic cooperative partnership with China is the cornerstone of Pakistan's foreign policy.

Pakistan is firmly committed to the flagship project of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and will continue strengthening cooperation in multiple fields, he said, adding that the country will do its utmost to ensure the safety of the Chinese people and projects in Pakistan.

Prime Minister Khan appreciated the transformational impact of the CPEC on Pakistan’s infrastructure, energy, socio-economic development and improvement in livelihoods of the people.

Khan is also expected to meet President Xi during which he may discuss the state of “all-weather ties”, the problems faced by the President’s pet initiative, the USD 60 billion CPEC and Chinese loans and investments to shore up Pakistan’s sagging economy.

The security of thousands of Chinese personnel working in the host of CPEC projects remained a concern for China in view of the several attacks at different places.

Ahead of his China visit, Khan’s government has approved a USD 11.6 million compensation for the families of Chinese engineers who were killed and wounded in a terrorist attack at the Dasu Dam hydropower project last year, according to Pakistan media reports.

Thirteen people, including nine Chinese citizens, were killed in a bomb attack on a bus carrying Chinese engineers at Dasu hydropower project in Pakistan last year.

Before his visit to Beijing, Khan also ordered the removal of bureaucratic obstacles delaying CPEC projects to address the criticism of the Chinese investors.

India has protested to China over the 3,000 km long CPEC as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Prime Minister Khan, in an article in the Chinese official media ahead of his visit, wrote that the “safety and security of Chinese personnel and projects in Pakistan remains our top priority”.

“Our people and state institutions are determined to safeguard CPEC from the detractors of Pakistan-China friendship and bring to justice those responsible for harming our interests,” he wrote.’

On Friday, Pakistan signed a new agreement with China to begin the second phase of the CPEC.

On Friday, he held a virtual meeting with He Lifeng, the Chairman of China's apex planning body -- the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), to discuss the expansion of Chinese investments in Pakistan after which the agreement has signed.

The agreement aims to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), promote industrialisation and development of economic zones, and initiate, plan, execute and monitor projects, both in public as well as private sector, Pakistan's state-run Associated Press of Pakistan news agency reported.

Earlier, Khan met the heads and representatives of leading Chinese think tanks, universities and the Pakistan Study Centre in Beijing.

In his address, Prime Minister Khan thanked China for its unwavering support to the Kashmir issue, emphasising the importance of Pakistan-China relations and ensuring regional stability and prosperity.

“In view of myriad global challenges, the world did not need another Cold War. Divisions could result in mounting sufferings and prevent common benefits. Pakistan was, therefore, of the belief that the key driver in international politics should be cooperation, rather than confrontation,” he was quoted as saying by Pakistan's Geo News.

On Saturday, Khan also attended a banquet hosted by President Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan to the over 30 heads of governments and international organisations who attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

The opening ceremony was boycotted by the US and its allies over the allegation of human rights violation against Uygur Muslims of the country’s Xinjiang province.

Indian diplomats in Beijing also boycotted the event in protest against China's provocative move on Wednesday fielding Qi Fabao, the regimental commander of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) -- who was injured during the June 2020 border skirmish with Indian soldiers in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh -- as a torchbearer for the Games Torch Relay.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)