ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said strengthening the all-weather Pakistan-China strategic cooperative partnership was cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy.
Chairing a high-level meeting at the PM Officein Islamabad, he said that early implementation of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects would help realise the true potential of Pakistan-China economic relations for the benefit of not only the two countries, but the entire region.
The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar, Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Planning Minister Makhdoom Khusro Bukhtiar, Power Minister Omar Ayub Khan, advisers to prime minister Abdul Razak Dawood and Dr Ishrat Hussain, foreign secretary, planning secretary and other senior officials.
The meeting discussed the prime minister’s forthcoming visit to China and the projects falling under CPEC.
The prime minister said that CPEC was a great opportunity to learn from the Chinese experience especially in social sector, agriculture and other areas.
He said that the agricultural output of the country, considered as the backbone of economy, could be enhanced manifold by learning from the Chinese expertise and employing latest technologies and efficient methods.
The prime minister emphasised the need to focus on early establishment of Special Economic Zones in various parts of the country, which would help the local industry to grow through industrialisation, besides creating huge employment opportunities for the youth.
He said that being a flagship project of President Xi Jinping’s BRI initiative, the CPEC also offered opportunities to other countries to invest in the projects and reap benefits in various sectors.
