ISLAMABAD, 24 MAY (DNA) – Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid on Tuesday said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the project of peace and development.

Addressing a seminar titled ‘Pakistan China Iron Brothers’ at Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation in Islamabad on Tuesday, the Minister said the convoys that will play on the corridor project will not conquer other countries but help provide basic amenities of life to the people. This road of peace will sprout the springs of development in the region.

Pervaiz Rashid said the construction of ports and road infrastructure in the region will bring the people closer to each other. He said these mega projects will steer the region out of poverty and backwardness and bring prosperity in the lives of the people.

The Information Minister further stated that China Pakistan Economic Corridor project will bring peace and development. On the occasion, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhary said the two sides have developed a robust and flexible roadmap for multifaceted cooperation over the last few years.

He said the leadership of both the countries over the last three years have made strenuous efforts to take the relationship to new heights. He said China Pakistan Economic Corridor project is a clear manifestation of growing relations between the two countries. Bilateral trade, people-to-people contacts and defense cooperation between the two countries has increased during the last three years.

He said both the countries have stood by each other through thick and thin. He said China supported Pakistan in the wars of 1965 and 1971 while Pakistan supported re-approachment between China and the United States.

Meanwhile, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor project is a new milestone in 65 years of Sino-Pakistan relations.

Addressing the seminar, he said this project has brought Pak-China relations from geo strategic orbit to geo-economics orbit -the element which was ignored in the past.

He said this is not a bilateral project but three billion people of the region will accrue benefit from it. He said the project in fact has added a new chapter in the relations between the two countries. Over the last three years, China has become the leading country in terms of foreign direct investment in Pakistan.

Giving a brief outlook of Pakistan-China historic relations, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhary said the two sides have developed a robust and flexible roadmap for multifaceted cooperation over the last few years.

He said the leadership of both the countries over the last three years have made strenuous efforts to take the relationship to new heights. He said China Pakistan Economic Corridor project is a clear manifestation of growing relations between the two countries. Bilateral trade, people-to-people contacts and defense cooperation between the two countries has increased during the last three years.

He said both the countries have stood by each other through thick and thin. He said China supported Pakistan in the wars of 1965 and 1971 while Pakistan supported re-approachment between China and the United States.

In his remarks, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong said that relations between the two countries have grown from strength to strength over the past sixty five years. He said both the countries take this relationship as priority of the diplomacy. We regard each other as equal partners and reliable friends. He said both the countries respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The ambassador said the two countries have always extend helping hand to each other in testing times and both the countries maintain close collaboration on important regional and international issues to promote peace and prosperity in the world.

Sun Weidong said Pak-China relations have been promoted to all weather strategic partnership which provides new prospects and opportunities to take the relationships to new heights. DNA