China, Pakistan to turn CPEC into demonstration project: Chinese premier

Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Monday that China is ready to work with Pakistan to make further efforts to build the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into a demonstration project for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

Li made the remarks in Islamabad when attending a ceremony with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to mark the completion of the New Gwadar International Airport project.

The new airport is a key facility for the Gwadar Port to become a regional connectivity hub and an important symbol of the further deepening of the construction of the CPEC, Li said.

Since its launch, the CPEC has achieved fruitful results with the concerted efforts of both sides and played a positive role in promoting Pakistan's socioeconomic development as well as regional integration, Li noted.

He also said that on the CPEC cooperation, China is willing to join Pakistan to follow the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and highlight openness, green development and integrity, as well as high standards, people's well-being and sustainability.

Li hailed the new international airport as a vivid illustration of the special friendship between China and Pakistan.

Under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistani leaders, the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership has been continuously deepened, and the China-Pakistan ironclad friendship, which has stood the test of changes in the international situation, is unbreakable, Li said.

Going forward, the Chinese side will continue to work with Pakistan to build an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era and deliver more benefits to the two peoples, he added.

For his part, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also hailed the airport as another demonstration of the friendship of the two countries, saying that the completion of the project will allow the Gwadar Port to better play its role of a hub and bring unprecedented development opportunities to Pakistan.

Pakistan is willing to continue to join hands with China to speed up cooperation on the "upgraded version" of the CPEC, and push for more fruitful results in building the Pakistan-China community with a shared future, he added.