ISLAMABAD: China and the United Arab Emirates are exploring opportunities for cooperation under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), China’s ambassador to Islamabad said on Friday.
The Belt and Road initiative is a Beijing-led program to boost economic and trade ties in dozens of countries in Asia, Europe and beyond, mostly through investments in energy and infrastructure.
In Pakistan, Beijing has pledged about $60 billion for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor of power stations, major highways, new and upgraded railways and higher capacity ports, aimed to help turn Pakistan into a major overland route linking western China to the world.
The first phase of the corridor focused on the development of infrastructure and electricity projects and the second phase will be oriented towards industrialization and socio-economic development in nine special economic zones across the country.
“UAE is also a partner under the Belt and Road Initiative and has a lot of trade and economic links with Pakistan,” Ambassador Yao Jing told Arab News in an interview. “Between China and UAE, maybe we have some opportunities to cooperate for Pakistan’s development.”
Yao said since the ninth meeting of a Pakistan China Joint Cooperation Committee held this month, both countries had stepped up efforts to promote “third party investment” in the bilateral project.
After the visit of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan to Saudi Arabia last September, Islamabad had invited Saudi Arabia to become a “strategic partner” in CPEC.
Ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf senator Syed Shibli Faraz welcomed investment in Pakistan from the UAE and Arab countries and told Arab News the government was discussing opportunities for Arab countries to join CPEC. They had shown “willingness,” he said.
Senator and Chairman of China-Pakistan Institute, Mushahid Hussain Syed, said the participation of friendly countries like UAE would be a “great plus” for CPEC.
In an earlier interview, UAE Deputy Head of Mission in Islamabad, Abdul Aziz Al Neyadi, told Arab News that UAE and China had common interests and were “ready to jointly work in a third country, as the government of UAE and China enjoy strong relations with Pakistan.”
UAE Ambassador to Pakistan, Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi, has also said: “Pakistan and UAE need to work together to further upgrade their ties aiming at developing a strategic partnership.”
UAE exploring opportunities for cooperation under CPEC — Chinese envoy
UAE exploring opportunities for cooperation under CPEC — Chinese envoy
- Yao says Pakistan and China have stepped up efforts to promote “third party investment” in the bilateral project
- Last September, Islamabad invited Saudi Arabia to become a “strategic partner” in CPEC
Pakistan says it awaits US response before deciding on Gaza stabilization force
- US said last month potential contributors to the force have sought clarity on its mandate and funding
- Pakistan’s foreign office cites robust defense ties with Saudi Arabia, denies knowledge of JF-17 deal
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is waiting to receive answers from the United States before making a decision on contributing troops to the International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza, said Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi on Thursday.
Last month, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan was willing to contribute to the international peacekeeping force in Gaza, though it would not deploy troops to disarm or de-weaponize Hamas.
According to international media outlets, Washington views Pakistan as a potentially significant contributor to the force given its battle-hardened military.
However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio conceded last month that countries contributing troops want to know what the ISF’s specific mandate would be and how it would be funded, noting that Pakistan was among the countries who had shown interest.
“As regard to the International Stabilization Force [in Gaza], as I said, in a number of my replies, that, and in fact, what the deputy prime minister also said here, that that it depends on the mandate, and in regards to the balance of that force,” Andrabi said.
Referring to Rubio’s statement on countries asking questions on ISF, the spokesman said “we still wait for answers with respect to those questions.”
The spokesperson also highlighted Dar’s telephone conversations with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal Bin Farhan twice this week.
“The deputy prime minister welcomed the Saudi foreign ministry’s statement regarding Yemen and appreciated the efforts of all sides to resolve the regional situation amicably,” he continued.
To a question regarding a Reuters report that claimed Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were in talks to convert about $2 billion of Saudi loans into a JF-17 fighter jet deal, Andrabi said both countries have “robust defense cooperation,” though he added he was unaware of the particular deal.
“I am not aware of any particular deal, regarding any platform or any systems and its financial adjustment. But this is a development that we would confirm upon materialization,” Andrabi said.
To another question about the possibility of Pakistan sending fresh troops to Saudi Arabia to join a Saudi military operation in Yemen, the spokesman said: “I have no information on this. We have, as I said, robust defense cooperation, many of these projects remain in the pipeline, but as regards the number of troops or an added number of troops, I do not have any information.”
