BEIJING – Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi Friday said that China-PakistanEconomic Corridor (CPEC), a multi-billion dollar flagship project of Beltand Road Initiative, was an economic cooperation programme and did nottarget any third country.
“We have stated clearly on many occasions that the BRI including the CPECis an only economic initiative and does not target any third country,” hesaid during a press briefing in which he also announced that the secondBelt and Road Forum for International Cooperation will be held here fromApril 25 to 27.
He remarked that both – the BRI and CPEC – had nothing to do with thesovereign and territorial disputes, left over from history between any twocountries, adding, “Our cooperation will not undermine any party’s positionon those issues.”ť
Wang said: “Now we are trying to achieve common prosperity through thecooperation under BRI. Those issues left over from history must beseparated from our efforts in this area.”ť
He opined that such cooperation would not undermine a country’s basicposition on sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Chinese foreign minister informed that a total of 37 heads of state orgovernment and other leaders from Pakistan, Austria, Egypt, Italy, Nepal,and Laos will attend the forum.
France, Germany, the UK, Spain, Japan, South Korea, and the EU will sendhigh-level representatives to the forum, he added.
In addition, President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith will pay a state visitto China. Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony anddeliver a keynote speech and host a state dinner in honor of world leaders.
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The second day of the forum, the Chinese president will receive worldleaders and hold a Leaders’ Roundtable at Yanqi Lake, located at the footof the Yanshan Mountains, in the northeast suburb of Beijing.
Chinese President Xi will address the media at the end of the forum. Wangsaid: ” Belt and Road Cooperation, Shaping a Brighter Shared Future,” willbe the theme of the second BRF which is aimed to bring about high-qualitycooperation under the Belt and Road framework.
More side events are planned for this year’s forum, including 12 sub-forumsfocusing on practical cooperation. Also, a conference will be organizedspecifically for the business community for the first time.
The Chinese foreign minister said that BRI has gained active response andparticipation since it was announced by President Xi Jinping in 2013; asmany as 126 countries and 29 international organizations have signedcooperation agreements with China to jointly build the Belt and Road.
He said the total trade volume between China and participating countrieshas surpassed 6 trillion U.S. dollars, investment has exceeded 80 billionU.S. dollars and the 82 cooperation parks built by China and relevantcountries have created nearly 300,000 jobs, bringing enormous developmentopportunities for the countries involved and laying a solid foundation forChina to host the second forum.
