China, Pakistan vow to deepen cooperation

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China and Pakistan on Sunday promised to deepen their pragmatic cooperation in various fields during a meeting between Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang, who is visiting Pakistan for celebration activities as Monday marks its 70th Independence Day.

Noting that China and Pakistan are "iron friends" and all-weather partners of strategic cooperation, Wang said Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Pakistan in 2015 ushered in a new chapter of bilateral relations.

China would like to join hands with Pakistan to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and ensure more fruitful results in bilateral cooperation, he said.

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang (C) is flanked by Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong (R) as he arrives at the Pakistan's Chaklala airbase in Rawalpindi on August 13, 2017. /AFP Photo‍

With regards to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative, Wang expressed hope that the two countries will strengthen coordination and design plans from a long-term and top-level perspective.

Proposed by China in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road.

Wang suggested the two countries put emphasis on ensuring early harvests in the CPEC project, while hailing fruitful cooperation in various economic fields over the past years.

More infrastructure is expected between China and Pakistan, as Wang suggested both countries to cooperate to accelerate the construction of the Gwadar Port, adding that more projects such as highways, railways, urban rail facilities, industrial parks should be implemented.

Energy cooperation is also a top priority in cooperation, and Wang said both countries should look into clean energy together.

China and Pakistan should further tap the potential in bilateral economic and trade cooperation, maintain the growing momentum in bilateral trade so as to promote trade balance, he said.

For his part, Abbasi said Pakistan and China are brothers and the bilateral relations have withstood the test of time.

Pakistan has witnessed the sustainable growth in its economy in recent years and China has played an important role in it, he said.

Abbasi said Pakistan agrees with China's proposal to push forward pragmatic cooperation between the two sides and is willing to work together together to press ahead with the CPEC project, expand bilateral trade, deepen and broaden pragmatic cooperation in all fields.

After their meeting, Wang and Abbasi attended the ceremonies of several cooperation projects and witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents.

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Source(s): Xinhua News Agency