PM’s visit of China

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has reached china to participate in the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) forum, aimed at regional development through win-win cooperation. Along with various ministers, prime minister’s entourage include the four chief ministers; Shahbaz Sharif of Punjab, Pervaiz Khattak of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sanaullah Zehri of Balochistan and Murad Ali Shah of Sindh.
The Belt and Road Forum (BRF) is part of the ‘Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road’ initiative launched by President Xi Jinping in 2013. The OBOR Forum will be hosted by Chinese government on May 14-15, which will be attended by 29 heads of state and government besides delegates from around 130 countries. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the flagship programme of OBOR.
Before attending the BRF, the prime minister held bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang. PM in the meeting said that his government is making all out efforts for active implementation of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) though it had made good progress in execution of energy and infrastructure projects. Various MoUs were signed in the meeting between both countries related to cooperation within the framework of Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st century Maritime Silk Road initiative. MoUs include upgradation of main railway line track ML-I and establishment of Havelian Dry Port and economic and technical cooperation worth 3.4 billion Yuan for Gwadar port and East Bay expressway.
Presence of all four provincial chief ministers symbolises the broad-based support in Pakistan for cooperation with China and CPEC. Significant participation shows that Pakistan appreciates China for promotion of President Xi Jinping’s visionary initiative of OBOR. It is also satisfactory that China is pleased with the progress of CPEC as Chinese President resolved to further growing bilateral ties by enhancing cooperation in multiple spheres. China is investing heavily in Pakistan and the scope of CPEC has immensely increased with the Chinese investment swelling from 46 to 56 billion dollars. Pakistan should also take advantage of the occasion and should held talks with heads of other participating counties on the side line of the forum.
Presence of four CMs shows the broad-based support in Pakistan for cooperation with China and CPEC.