Imran Khan is in China now. He left Pakistan on Thursday. Imran’s visit to China is seen as important in China-Pakistan diplomatic relations. China-Pakistan’s eternal ties are going to be boosted by this visit. After a series of meetings chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan at the Prime Minister’s House on Wednesday, Information Minister Fawad Chowdhury said 21 different sectors have been identified for talks with the Chinese leadership.
The Pakistan government hopes that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project will be revived during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s four-day visit. Fawad Chowdhury said the issues to be discussed during the Prime Minister’s visit were related to the creation of special economic zones under CPEC, trade, information technology, agriculture, and the relocation of a large number of Chinese industries to Pakistan.
A statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said Imran Khan could hold bilateral meetings with President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang. The leaders will review the whole issue of bilateral relations at this time, the statement said. Particular emphasis will be placed on strengthening trade and economic cooperation with the CPEC.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has said that Imran Khan is going on a visit at the invitation of a Chinese leader. There is a perception that the CPEC has slowed down since Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) came to power three years ago. Therefore, the government hopes that with the visit of the Prime Minister, the pace of these projects will return. Maybe these projects will be implemented or they will be taken under CPEC.
The government of Pakistan is looking at changes in the CPEC to shift from road infrastructure to industrialization, power, and agriculture. Prime Minister Imran has repeatedly said this.
Khalid Mansoor, special assistant to the prime minister for CPEC, said that the government was well prepared for the issue. A comparative analysis has been made of what opportunities Pakistan can offer to Chinese investors. He added that in the meeting of the Joint Working Group, the two countries have so far discussed 10 different areas of bilateral relations. But these meetings were organized by influential Chinese industrialists. They will also meet Imran during the visit.
Imran may seek a loan from China to help with the country’s economy, trade, and investment. The request may be made during his visit to the Beijing Olympics. According to a media report, China has already lent S11 billion to Pakistan. In addition, China has deposited another $4 billion in Pakistan’s State Bank. Even with this loan from China, Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves have increased to $16.1 billion. Thus, we can say that $3 billion Chinese loan assistance would bring the two eternal ties close.
According to the Foreign Ministry, Imran Khan will meet with leading business leaders, representatives of top Chinese think tanks, and the media. Before leaving for China, Imran Khan chaired a high-level meeting on Wednesday. There, he expressed confidence that his visit would take the existing strong bilateral relations between the two countries to a new height. The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers like Shawkat Tarin, Fawad Chowdhury, Asad Umar, and Hammad Azhar. Also present were Trade Adviser Abdul Razak Dawood, State Minister Farooq Habib, National Security Adviser. Mueed Yusuf, Special Assistant Shahbaz Gill, and Khalid Mansoor.
Islamabad’s strategic partnership with China has been growing in recent years.
Pakistan declined an invitation to attend the US Conference on Democracy. There is a hint of dissatisfaction with Islamabad’s refusal on December 6th. This statement is enough to understand this dissatisfaction exists.
Earlier, Imran criticized the silence and double standards of the West on the issue of human rights violations in certain areas. He complained that the Western world was not as vocal about the human rights situation in Indian-administered Kashmir as it was about the persecution of the Muslim Uighur minority in Xinjiang, China.
Imran said this in an interview with a Chinese journalist in Islamabad. He added, “Pakistan’s ambassador to China has recently visited Xinjiang. He says the West’s interpretation of Xinjiang is inconsistent with reality.” Imran, meanwhile, said the West was “silent” on the ongoing violence in Indian-administered Kashmir. So, Imran Khan’s position is very clear here. He wanted to convey a message that Pakistan would stand with China in all situations. Imran Khan proved again that China and Pakistan are really eternal friends. This visit proves that China and Pakistan are all weather friends.
Imran may seek a loan from China to help with the country’s economy, trade, and investment. The request may be made during his visit to the Beijing Olympics. According to a media report, China has already lent S11 billion to Pakistan. In addition, China has deposited another $4 billion in Pakistan’s State Bank. Even with this loan from China, Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves have increased to $16.1 billion. Thus, we can say that $3 billion Chinese loan assistance would bring the two eternal ties close.
In addition to his four-day visit to China, Imran Khan is scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, which starts on on Friday (today). A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that despite the Covid-19 epidemic, the Chinese government is hosting the Winter Olympic Games with extra caution, such as extra arenas.
