DAVOS: Expressing strong support to China on its Belt and Road Initiative,Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday said it is muchmore than just an infrastructure partnership and will go a long way increating a shared future in a fractured world.Speaking at a panel discussion here at the World Economic Forum (WEF),Abbasi said, “We strongly recognise the vision of China and President XiJinPing”
China’s massive Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) seeks to build rail,maritime and road links from Asia to Europe and Africa in a revival ofancient Silk Road trading routes.
The issues related to BRI, earlier known as One Belt One Road OBOR, hasbeen a major bone of contention between India and China as one portion ofthe corridor passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
“We believe the Belt and Road Initiative is perfectly in sync with the WEFtheme of creating shared future in a fractured world. It is much more thanjust a partnership on infrastructure and it will cause significantimprovement in lives of people from different countries,” Abbasi said.
He further said half of humanity lives in this region and this initiativewill have a big impact towards a shared future in a fractured world.
He said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has started to show resultswith a big boost to manufacturing and exports.
The key principles are financial stability and lessening of environmentalimpact and Pakistan being a more responsible global citizen, he said.
Speaking in the same session, Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank PresidentJim Liqun also lauded the initiative and the benefits it would bring to theregion.
Singapore’s Minister in Prime Minister’s Office Chan Chun Sing said thecity-state is very happy to be part of the BRI and believes it will help ina big way in contributing to global growth.
He said Singapore is closely working with the Chinese agencies for thisproject.
US-based infra consultancy major Aecom’s Chairman Michael Burke said BRI isthe largest infrastructure project seen in our lifetime and will have a bigimpact on the GDP of the region with free movement of goods and otherbenefits.
He said such a project cannot be completed by a single country or by justprivate or public sector and therefore Aecom expects to participate in itin a big way for many years to come.