In a press conference on Monday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian defended the country’s multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, clearly stating that it would not affect the country’s stance on Kashmir. Lijian made the remarks while responding to a question about India’s opposition to the initiative, given its claims that it passes through Indian territory illegally occupied by Pakistan.
“As for whether the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor involves the Kashmir issue, China has made it clear on many occasions that the CPEC is an economic cooperation initiative, which is not targeted at any third party, has nothing to do with disputes over territorial sovereignty, and will not affect China’s principled position on the Kashmir issue,” he said.
The CPEC, which is a component of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), aims to build a network of roads, railway lines, and power projects between the two countries, in a bid to strengthen bilateral economic ties. The goal of the project is to modernise and transform Pakistan’s economy and connect the deep-sea ports of Karachi and Gwadar to China’s Xinjiang province, which would make the transport of oil and gas to China more convenient and boost development in China’s remote western regions. India has expressed concern about the plan because a part of the corridor is expected to cut through the Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK), which New Delhi claims as its own.
However, Lijian on Monday emphasised the economic nature and benefits of the initiative, stating that since its launch in 2015, it had “made significant and positive progress in such areas as transportation infrastructure, energy, ports, and industrial parks.” He further said that China and Pakistan were also reaching out to other countries in the region, especially Afghanistan, given its use of the Gwadar and Karachi ports for imports and exports. “The three parties are discussing the extension of the highway and expressway in Pakistan to Afghanistan,” Lijian added.
The official additionally noted and appreciated Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s recent comments about the CPEC, wherein he said that the project would bring economic prosperity to not only Pakistan but the entire region. Lijian responded by saying: “China is ready to work with Pakistan to boost the high-quality development of the CPEC and extend it to a wider region, jointly make efforts to enable the BRI to play a bigger role in improving people’s living standards and promoting regional connectivity and economic integration.”
China Defends CPEC, Says It Will Not Affect Its “Principled” Position on Kashmir
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks while responding to a question about India’s opposition to the plan, given its claims that it passes through Indian territory in POK.
May 26, 2021
SOURCE: KYODO NEWS