China, Pakistan set upgraded CPEC as top priority during strategic dialogue in Islamabad
ISLAMABAD: China and Pakistan on Thursday said they would prioritize “high-quality” cooperation under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), unveiling plans for an upgraded version of the multibillion-dollar flagship Belt and Road project.
The CPEC infrastructure program was launched in 2015 and includes energy projects, highways, railways and the development of the Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea, aimed at improving connectivity between western China and the Indian Ocean while boosting Pakistan’s infrastructure and economy.
“The two sides agree that the current priority for China-Pakistan cooperation is high-quality CPEC cooperation and build an upgraded version of CPEC,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters during a joint press conference with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar after they held strategic talks in Islamabad, covering trade, security, counterterrorism and preparations for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to China later this month.
“We will build on our past achievements to build a growth corridor, a livelihood enhancing corridor, an innovation corridor, a green corridor and an open corridor to promote greater synergy between the five corridors with Pakistan’s development planning.”
