China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng arrives in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng arrived in Islamabad on Sunday evening on a three-day visit to Pakistan.
He will stay in Pakistan from July 30 to August 1, 2023, to commemorate the ten-year anniversary of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
During his visit to Pakistan, He Lifeng will meet with President Dr. Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Additionally, he will be the chief guest at an event celebrating the “Decade of CPEC.”
The visit comes as part of regular high-level exchanges and dialogue between the two nations, showcasing the significance both Pakistan and China place on their “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership.”
He Lifeng, who is a Member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, has been a crucial figure in China’s international economic relations and the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, with CPEC being a flagship project.
As Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission from 2017 to 2023, He Lifeng played a vital role in planning and executing multiple CPEC projects in Pakistan, solidifying the economic ties between the two countries.
Since its initiation in 2013, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has seen tens of billions of dollars funnelled into massive transport, energy and infrastructure projects. But the project has also been hit by Pakistan struggling to keep up its financial obligations, as well as attacks on Chinese targets by militants.”After a decade since its inception, CPEC has shown mixed results,” said Azeem Khalid, assistant professor of international relations at COMSATS University Islamabad.”The primary goal of connecting China with the Arabian Sea is still relatively low in achievement for China.
Earlier this week, Beijing granted Pakistan a two-year rollover on a $2.4 billion loan, giving the debt-saddled nation much-needed breathing space as it tackles a balance-of-payments crisis.
“Ahead of the visit, banners celebrating the anniversary and flags of both countries have been put on display across the Pakistan capital. Security is on high alert, and a two-day public holiday has been ordered for the capital to keep people off the streets. Pakistan deftly manages relations with China and the United States, seeking a balance between its strategic interests and regional dynamics. Arch-rival India has more fractious relations with China, with the two sides coming to blows along their frontier on occasion.
