BEIJING – China on Monday said it supported International Monetary Fund(IMF) in carrying out an objective and professional evaluation ofPakistan’s financial situation and assisting it dealing with currentdifficulties and added, the relevant measures should not affect normalbilateral cooperation between China and Pakistan.
“As a member of the IMF, China supports this organization in carrying outobjective evaluation of Pakistan’s financial difficulties and assisting itin dealing with current difficulties and the relevant measures shall notaffect the normal bilateral relations between China and Pakistan,” Chineseforeign ministry’s spokesperson Lu Kang said during his regular pressbriefing.
While rejecting the impression that the loans under China-Pakistan EconomicCorridor (CPEC) were the cause of current financial situation of Pakistan,he said, the Chinese side had explained many times that the CPEC wasundertaken by the two governments under the principle of consultations andcontributions for shared benefits.
“All the projects and financing arrangements are made by the two sides onequal consultations,” he added.
The spokesperson said, in fact, judging from the debt structure alreadyreleased by the Pakistani government, the debt incurred from the CPECaccounted for low proportion.
So, it was not the reason for Pakistan’s financial difficulties.
Lu Kang said the Chinese side would like to work with Pakistan tosubstantiate and expand the CPEC projects and help Pakistan achievedevelopment on its own strength.
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When asked to comment that the IMF would be scrutinizing the Chinese loansto Pakistan before taking any decision, he said, for the quite sometimes,there was a lot of discussion on Pakistan debt problems and its financialand economic difficulties.
“I just said, according to the debt structure released by the Pakistanigovernment itself, the debt incurred through the CPEC accounts for a lowproportion. The relevant officials have also made it clear recently.”
The spokesperson reiterated that as a member of IMF, China supported thisorganization in having cooperation with Pakistan and evaluating thesituation on the ground objectively and professionally in Pakistan.
“Also, we support the IMF in coping with the current difficulties but thesemeasures shall not affect normal bilateral cooperation between China andPakistan,” he added. APP
