LAHORE: Ambassador of People’s Republic of China to Pakistan, Yao Jing, hassaid that China cannot afford to lose Pakistan because stability in itsneighborhood is integral to China’s development. He made these remarkswhile speaking at an interactive policy dialogue organized by Lahore Centrefor Peace Research (LCPR) on the topic “Pakistan-China Relations in the21st century” which was arranged in his honor, said in a press releaseissued here Saturday.

In his keynote speech, the Ambassador of China emphasized that Pakistanmatters to China’s vision of development and growth as enshrined in lastyear’s 19th China’s Communist Party Convention.

He said that Pakistan’s importance to China would continue to increasebecause of the all-weather Pak-China relations and centrality of the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) route in the Belt and RoadInitiative(BRI).

Yao said that a stable Pakistan was vital to China’s growth.

The Ambassador reminded the distinguished gathering that China envisagesCPEC to be a lead project for connectivity and peace.

He said the project was not only for the benefit of Pakistan and China as‘ownership of CPEC finally belongs to the whole world’.

Earlier, Ambassador Shamshad Ahmed Khan, former foreign secretary andcurrently Chairman Lahore Center for Peace Research, highlighted theunwavering commitment of Pakistan and China’s leadership to build strongereconomic and social ties between the two countries. He emphasised thatChina’s relations with Pakistan were not based on transient interests buthave remained unconditional. He said that China’s Belt and Road Initiative(BRI) is a huge regional agenda with mutual interests rooted in China’s andPakistan’s common vision for a better future and prosperity of the region.

Rooted within BRI was China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiativethat harbours economic prosperity for greater benefit of the entire region.

He praised the Chinese leadership in promoting world-wide connectivity forsocio-economic development and reiterated that Pakistan was also determinedin its commitment to support CPEC.

The event was attended by the Chinese Consul General Long Dingbin, formerFinance Minister, Dr Salman Shah, former Pakistan diplomats and notabledefense analysts and people from the academia.