Finance
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has invited Turkey to participate in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), despite India’s continued opposition to projects in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
During his visit to Ankara, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif made this proposal during a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“I would suggest that let this be a cooperation between China, Pakistan, and Turkiye. This would be a wonderful joint cooperation … This is how we can meet the challenges of today,” Sharif was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper.
According to a Pakistani newspaper, Prime Minister Sharif stated that if Turkey moved forward with the idea of joining CPEC, he would be “happy” to discuss the matter with the Chinese leadership.
This development comes just a few weeks after Pakistan and China agreed to proceed with a plan to extend CPEC to Afghanistan, despite India’s objections based on sovereignty and territorial integrity.
CPEC is a key component of China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which aims to revitalize the country’s ancient trade routes. The USD 60 billion project, which connects Pakistan’s southern Gwadar port in Balochistan to China’s western Xinjiang and passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, has been consistently opposed by India.
Earlier this month, during Sharif’s official visit to Beijing, China assured Pakistan of its support of the country’s sustainable economic and strategic projects.
“The two sides underscored the need for the international community to provide continued assistance and support to Afghanistan including through unfreezing of Afghanistan’s overseas financial assets. The two sides agreed to continue their humanitarian and economic assistance for the Afghan people and enhance development cooperation in Afghanistan, including through CPEC’s extension to Afghanistan,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
After reports of CPEC extension emerged in July, India strongly objected to the expansion of the CPEC projects in any third country and expressed concern about its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“We have seen reports on encouraging proposed participation of third countries in so-called CPEC projects. Any such actions by any party directly infringe on India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” External Affair Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said.
He stated that India has consistently and vehemently opposed projects in the so-called CPEC, which are in Indian territory illegally occupied by Pakistan.
Source:HT
