Summary Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and President Xi Jinping exchanged views on matters of mutual interests.
(Web Desk) - Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari held a meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping at the sidelines of Asian Political Parties Conference on Silk Road in Beijing.
Both exchanged views on matters of mutual interests including People-to-People and Party-to-Party contacts.
Earlier on Wednesday, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari attended the“Asian Political Parties Conference on Silk Road” organized by the Communist Party of China and attended by representatives of political parties from different Asian countries.
Addressing the three-day conference, Bilawal told participants that Pakistan was among the first to welcome – and recognize – the efforts of China in reshaping the international financial architecture with new institutions such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the New Development Bank, and the Silk Road Fund.
PPP Chairman said the Silk Road, in its latest manifestation, is more than just a trade route or investment initiative that can transform regional futures; it is Beijing’s great strategic bid to spur growth and prosperity in the Eurasian landmass.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that as an avid student of Chinese growth, he had noted how over the last 20 years, China has poured in almost 9 percent of its GDP for the enhancement of domestic infrastructure. It can teach many of us a great deal about how to build and boost transportation and communications efficiency. In a bid for a future where the knowledge economy matters most, China has also invested in creating the world’s largest broadband network.
This is no small feat, he applauded.
“President Xi Jinping’s assertive articulation of the One Belt-One Road vision makes it clear that the New Silk Road, both overland and maritime, will not be limited to the last century’s definitions of geo-politics alone. Whether it amounts to a Marshall Plan for the region it covers, or leaves a new footprint of soft power as it unfolds, a world hungry for partnering in leadership should welcome it," he added.
“The China Pakistan Economic Corridor, that will link Kashgar in Xinjiang with the port of Gwadar in Balochistan, is just one – but a significant example – of this mutual objective. Early estimates suggest that the influx of Chinese investment will stimulate a 15 percent increase in Pakistan’s GDP by 2030. In fact, the first project to achieve financial close, in November this year, under the CPEC is a $ 2 billion joint venture to energize Thar Coal, located in the province of Sindh, where my party holds government.
Bilawal said: “Given our history as allies and friends, Beijing has also extended support for other projects that Pakistan has been involved with under our leadership. Most notable among these is the Iran Pakistan gas pipeline, particularly as the Iran Deal opens new avenues for energy trade in the region. With China’s exclusive entry in the IP project, regional energy trade can take a critical turn."
“Beijing’s continued interest and investments in Gwadar also underscore its commitment to economic integration and collective regional development. More importantly for all of us in Pakistan, the CPEC will set a remarkable precedent as a joint infrastructural development project in the region that can significantly alter the economic landscape of developing areas in both China and Pakistan."
“I realize that security concerns weigh heavy on all investment calculations. Please be assured that security is Pakistan’s principle focus right now, and that joint efforts are extensively underway to combat the global threat of borderless terrorism," he said.
Giving remarks on regional security situation, Bilawal said, “We all know that terrorism is this century’s big emerging challenge, and it will require transboundary cooperation and global solutions. It is important to also understand that no one country can face it alone, or that all solutions will be solely military. Our non-NATO allies in Afghanistan have spent much blood and treasure there with far from optimal outcomes. They knew not what this summer would bring. This ramped up conflict and Taliban resurgence is a worry for Pakistan, since we see Afghan peace as vital to Pakistan’s hopes for prosperity in our own country and the region."
At the end, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the Chinese vision for human security, economic cooperation, reform, joint prosperity, lies at the heart of international solutions to the turmoil and chaos the world faces today.
