*ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Foreign Office has responded over the controversiescreated by media over the CPEC projects. *

*Pakistani leadership has conveyed to Chinese State Councillor and ForeignMinister Wang Yi that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was anational priority for the government, Foreign Office Monday said in a pressstatement.*

“Pakistan remains committed to the successful implementation of CPEC,” theForeign Office statement said on the completion of Chinese minister’s visitto Pakistan. Wang Yi paid an official visit to Pakistan from September 7-9.

The statement said there was complete consensus on the future trajectory ofCPEC between Pakistan and China.

“The two sides agreed to work together towards implementation of theongoing projects and agreed to expand CPEC to new areas of cooperationincluding socio-economic development, poverty alleviation, anti-corruption,agricultural cooperation and industrial development as per the needs andpriorities of the government of Pakistan,” it added.

The two sides had in-depth exchange of views on all issues of mutualinterest. The visit provided an opportunity to the two sides to reaffirmtheir “all-weather strategic cooperative partnership”.

During his visit, Wang Yi held delegation level talks with foreign ministerfollowed by a joint press conference. He also called on the President, thePrime Minister, Speaker National Assembly and the Chief of Army Staff.

He conveyed the message of good will and support from the Chineseleadership for the new government of Pakistan.

From the substantive point of view, it helped in further strengthening thestrategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.

State Councillor Wang Yi was a special guest at the oath-taking ceremony ofPresident of Pakistan and was the first foreign dignitary to call on himafter his inauguration on the same day.

The visit had a special significance as it came right after theinstallation of new government and on the day of the oath-taking ceremonyof the new President.