Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser and Chairman National PeoplesCongress of China have agreed to the formation of a Joint ParliamentaryCommittee comprising of members from Pakistani Parliament and NationalPeople’s Congress for effective oversight of CPEC.
They were of the opinion that enhanced economic cooperation would giveimpetus to the existing bilateral relations through parliamentary andeconomic cooperation.
The Speaker Asad Qaiser was talking to Li Zhanshu in a Virtual meeting heldtoday. Both the Presiding Officers directed their respective Secretariatsto take necessary steps for constitution of Joint a parliamentary Committee.
During the meeting, Speaker Asad Qaiser was accompanied by Deputy SpeakerQasim Khan Suri, Chairman CPEC committee Sher Ali Arbab, Chairman ForeignAffairs Committee Ehsan ullah Tiwana, Convener Pak-China Friendship GroupNoor Alam Khan and other members of the National Assembly whereas ChairmanNPC was accompanied by Deputy Speaker NPC and Chairmen of the Committees onForeign Affairs and Law. This virtual meeting is the first high-levelcontact between the two presiding officers after the breakout of theCOVID-19 pandemic.
The Speaker said that Pakistan considers China its closest friend,staunchest partner and an iron brother. He said that consistent progressionin the relations exemplifies a unique model of brotherhood. Hecongratulated his Chinese counterpart on 71st anniversary of Sino-Pakdiplomatic relations and Chinese New Year.
Speaker Asad Qaiser said that Pakistan strongly believes in the territorialintegrity of China and fully supports the One China policy. He said thatPakistan values Chinese support on international and regional forums. Hesaid that Kashmir being the bleeding wound on the map of the world neededinternational attention for mitigation of miseries of Kashmiri people andfulfillment of international commitment. He said that China’s equivocalsupport on Kashmir issue is valued by people and government of Pakistan.
Chairman National People’s Congress Li Zhanshu said that China alsoconsiders Pakistan one of its brother and a closest strategic ally. He saidthat China would always stand by Pakistan for its defense and maintainingterritorial integrity. He said that Covid-19 was devastating for China aswell as the world, however, the support of Pakistan especially theparliament had boosted the Chinese moral to fight that disease. He assuredthe Speaker that provision of covid-19 vaccine was on the topmost priorityof the Chinese Government.
Speaking about the CPEC, Chairman NPC said that CPEC was of utmostimportance for the economies of both countries. Referring to the instancesof terrorism in the region, underlined the need for security of CPEC tokeep it moving on right track.
Paying special gratitude to Speaker Asad Qaiser, he said that his supportfor the establishment of special economic zones under CPEC earlier asSpeaker KPK Assembly and later as Speaker National Assembly had beenexemplary. He said that Gawadar port and other projects under CPEC wouldplay an important role in economic development in Pakistan.
Speaker Asad Qaiser said that CPEC was undoubtedly a lifeline for theeconomic development of Pakistan and a mechanism had been devised forensuring the security of the CPEC projects.
He said that any attempt to disrupt activity under CPEC would not betolerated. He said that activity under CPEC had gained momentum and theRasakai Special Economic Zone would be functional soon which would generateeconomic activity besides providing employment particularly in the KPKprovince and the country in general.
The Speaker proposed a Joint Parliament Committee comprising members fromParliament of Pakistan and National People’s Congress for effectiveoversight of the CPEC projects.
Both the leaders agreed for enhancing parliamentary cooperation throughinteraction at the standing committees level as well as ParliamentaryFriendship Group. He said that the legislative interaction should continuevirtually till the covid-19 disease had fizzled out.
They agreed to an interactive virtual Meeting of members National Assemblyand National People’s Congress in commemoration of the 71st anniversary ofPakistan China diplomatic relations. They also reiterated invitations toeach other to visit Pakistan and China at their convenience.
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