As CPEC turns 10, China’s Xi calls for ‘greater contributions to peace’

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – As the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has completed 10 years in its first phase, China’s President Xi Jinping has called for making “greater contributions” to peace in the broader region.

In a message to mark a decade of the CPEC, dubbed as a flagship of the Belt and Road Initiative, Xi said: “China and Pakistan will continue to work hand in hand to carry forward ironclad friendship.”

Emphasizing coordination on development and security issues between the two allies, Xi also called for pursuing “cooperation of higher standards, broader scope, and greater depth, and take the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership to new heights so as to make even greater contributions to peace and prosperity in the two countries and the broader region.”

Launched in 2014, CPEC has attracted $25.4 billion in direct investment in 10 years, according to details shared by Beijing.

CPEC is a major economic and infrastructure project between China and Pakistan, which enables China to access the Arabian Sea through Pakistan’s Gwadar Port.

There have been discussions to include Afghanistan in the infrastructure project, and the administration has also resolved to make the country a transit hub between Central and South Asia.

China's Vice Premier He Lifeng traveled to Islamabad over the weekend where he met Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday to commemorate 10 years of the multi-billion project.

The two sides signed at least six new documents as China and Pakistan begin the second phase of the CPEC.