Xinhua, Beijing :
China and Pakistan have provided further details on their planned economic corridor project, signaling the two nations’ commitment for stronger ties.
Leaders of the two states agreed to accelerate the building of the economic corridor, which will focus on energy cooperation, transportation infrastructure construction and industrial parks.
During a meeting with visiting Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain on Thursday in Beijing, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang emphasized the strategic significance of building an economic corridor.
The two sides need to implement large-scale cooperation projects in electricity and new energy, promote the management of the port of Gwadar and advance connectivity schemes, Li noted.
The economic corridor project was proposed during Li’s visit to Pakistan in May 2013.
For China, the project with Pakistan links China’s strategy to develop its western region with Pakistan’s focus on developing its economy, Ma Jiali, researcher with China Institute of Contemporary International relations, told Xinhua.
Geographically, the economic corridor refers to the 2,000-kilometer road and rail link connecting Kashgar in west China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to the southwestern Pakistani port of Gwadar.
