Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi concluded his two-day official visit to Pakistan with the resolve to work on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and related projects speedily to ensure that Early Harvest Projects could be operationalized at the earliest.
According to a press release, issued by the Foreign Office on Friday at the conclusion of the two-day visit of the Foreign Minister of China along with a seven-member delegation, it was stated that the main purpose of the visit was to prepare for the upcoming visit of the President of China, Xi Jinping, to Pakistan at an early date this year. During the visit, the Chinese Foreign Minister called on President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He also had meetings with the Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz, and the Chief of the Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif.
The President, in his meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister, said that Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with China. He said the Pakistan-China friendship was a factor of stability in the region. Foreign Minister Wang Yi agreed with the President, describing the Pakistan-China friendship as deep-rooted and irreplaceable.
Later, at a special investiture ceremony at the President House, the President conferred the Hilal-e-Pakistan award on Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in recognition of his invaluable contribution to the promotion of relations between Pakistan and China.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, during his meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister, said the leadership of both countries was committed to further strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Pakistan and China.
He noted that wide-ranging economic co-operation between Pakistan and China had entered a new phase. It was vital for two countries to translate their shared vision for making the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a reality. Foreign Minister Wang Yi agreed that there was a need for speedy implementation of the CPEC and other vital projects, which would transform the entire region.
In the delegation-level talks between the Adviser and the Chinese Foreign Minister, the two sides reviewed all aspects of the bilateral relations. It was agreed that work on the CPEC-related projects should be expedited to ensure that Early Harvest Projects could be operationalized at the earliest.
The two sides also took stock of regional developments and agreed on the need for maintaining strategic balance in South Asia. The Adviser reiterated Pakistan's commitment to fostering a peaceful neighbourhood to achieve its economic and development objectives. The two leaders welcomed the continuing co-operation between Pakistan and China for the promotion of peace and prosperity in Afghanistan. Both sides agreed on the need to make United Nations Security Council more representative and effective, and that its reform should be achieved through consensus.
During his two-day visit Wang Yi also attended the launch ceremony of '2015 Pakistan-China Year of Friendly Exchanges', which was co-hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad. Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Speaker of the National Assembly, was the chief guest on the occasion. Several federal ministers, the Chief Minister of Punjab and other dignitaries attended the event. During the Year of Friendly Exchanges, Pakistan and China have planned a series of activities in the parliamentary, cultural, education, media, business and other spheres to further strengthen their strategic partnership and all-weather friendship. This was Wang Yi's first official visit to Pakistan as Chinese Foreign Minister.