Pakistan and China are ready to start the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Prime Minister Imran Khan said in Beijing on Friday, adding the two countries have made substantial progress in implementing the first raft of projects under the flagship bilateral venture.

The CPEC is the most high-profile artery in President Xi Jinping’s massive Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), multi-billion dollar inter-continental connectivity plan that aims to revive ancient land and sea trade routes between China, rest of Asia and Europe.

Khan was delivering his speech at the second Belt and Road International Forum for Cooperation (BRF), which India has skipped because of concerns over territorial sovereignty related to the CPEC as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

India’s concerns, however, haven’t stopped China from going full-steam ahead with the CPEC through PoK and other parts of Pakistan.

Khan said that together Pakistan and China are entering the next phase of CPEC with greater emphasis on social economic uplift, poverty alleviation, agriculture cooperation and industrial development.

He said that Pakistan had been among BRI’s earliest and most enthusiastic proponents, and the CPEC, one of the major components and one of BRI’s earliest manifestations have made substantial progress.

The Pakistan PM went on to list what the CPEC has so far achieved for Pakistan.

Khan said that Pakistan’s energy supplies had increased massively, critical infrastructure gaps were being plugged, and “…Gwadar once the small fishing village is transforming, transforming rapidly into commercial hub”.

Khan added that along the length of the corridor, special economic zones were set to come up offering opportunities for investment for Pakistani, Chinese and foreign entrepreneurs.

“Supplementing the next phase of CPEC, we are signing an expanded Pakistan-China Free Trade Agreement,” he said.

Khan thanked China for supporting Pakistan, which has been under increasing international pressure following the terror attack in Pulwama carried out by the Pakistan-based, Jaish-e-Mohammed.

“I want to thank China and its leadership for the wavering support for Pakistan. A deep-rooted friendship, partnership, and brotherhood with China remain strong, resilient, and unbreakable,” Khan said.

Praising the BRI, which India has said is opaque and is likely to create an uneven playing the field in favour of China, Khan said that in a world of geopolitical uncertainty, of rising inequality, and barriers to trade, the BRI offers a model of collaboration, partnership, connectivity, and shared prosperity.

The Pakistani PM mooted five joint projects for the BRI to include comprising poverty alleviation, anti-corruption, fighting climate change, a tourism corridor and a liberalised trade regime.

More than 30 heads of state and representatives from more than 100 countries and international organisations are taking part in the three-day event, which concludes Saturday.

India skipped the ongoing BRF like it did the first one in 2017.

Explaining India’s position on the BRI and the forum, Indian envoy to China, Vikram Misri last month reiterated New Delhi’s concerns to Chinese state media.

“Above all, connectivity initiatives must be pursued in a manner that respects the sovereignty, equality and territorial integrity of nations. No country can participate in an initiative that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Misri had said in an interview to a nationalistic tabloid Global Times.

“To be honest, we have made no secret of our views and our position on BRI is clear and consistent and one that we have conveyed to the authorities concerned. India shares the global aspiration to strengthen connectivity and it is an integral part of our economic and diplomatic initiatives. We are ourselves working with many countries and international institutions in our region and beyond on a range of connectivity initiatives,” he had said.

First Published: Apr 26, 2019 14:30 IST