China, Pakistan co-host 3rd Meeting of CPEC Joint Working Group on Socio-Economic Development

The third meeting of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Joint Working Group on Socio-Economic Development was held via video link on Dec 16, 2021.

Deng Boqing, vice-chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), and Abdul Aziz Uqaili, permanent secretary of Pakistan's Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, co-chaired the meeting.

Noting that China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners, Deng said the two countries have offered each other assistance and worked together with solidarity since the COVID-19 outbreak, demonstrating the profound friendship between the two sides.

China and Pakistan have thoroughly implemented the consensus reached by the two heads of states, strengthened bilateral cooperation on social and economic development, and achieved noticeable progress in the first two rounds of projects that prioritized people's livelihoods, he said.

Deng said China is willing to deepen its cooperation with Pakistan regarding social development and people's livelihoods and support the high-quality development of the CPEC initiative. He expressed the hope that the Pakistani side will further strengthen its security measures for cooperative projects and construction teams, and said China is willing to work together with Pakistan in the supervision of relevant projects to ensure they are managed in a clean and efficient manner.

Aziz said the Pakistani government and people are very grateful to the Chinese government for its precious assistance in helping the country's economic and social development and its anti-pandemic fight.

Pakistan is willing to promote its cooperation with China in multiple sectors, including education, poverty reduction, health and vocational training, he said, adding that additional measures will be taken to ensure the smooth operation of cooperative projects and the safety of all workers.

The two sides also exchanged views on specific matters regarding bilateral cooperation.

The virtual meeting was also attended by Nong Rong, Chinese ambassador to Pakistan; Li Bijian, consul general of the Consulate-General of China in Karachi; and Ahmed Farooq, deputy head of mission with the Pakistan embassy in Beijing.