Islamabad: China out rightly rejected the remarks of Alice Wells, the acting assistant secretary of state for South Asia on CPEC, stating these are based on misperception and biased mindset.
Chinese ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing at 5th CPEC Media Forum held here on Friday showed strong reaction on behalf of his country on the negative remarks and said, there is no truth in allegations like China’s debt trap, corruption in CPEC’s implementation and unequal distribution of projects across Pakistan.
The forum was arranged jointly be China Economic Net (CEN), China-Pakistan Institute (CPI) and Chinese Embassy in Islamabad. It was largely attended by Pakistani and the Chinese journalists, who especially travelled to Islamabad.
Those who also addressed the forum included Editor-in-Chief CEN, Sui Jun, Chairman CPI senator Mushahid Hussain Syed and Vice President Global Times Meng Yuhong, while leader of the House in the Senate Shibli Fraz was the chief guest on the occasion. The participants included famous Chinese scholar Tang Mengsheng, senator Javed Abbasi and senator Sana Baluch. In his key-note address, Ambassador Yao Jing took strong exception to the remarks of the US’s Deputy Secretary of State, and categorical stated that nothing wrong with CPEC, and its smooth implementation is going successfully. “I am shocked and surprised to the see remarks of Alice that she made last night in Washington while addressing Think-Tank. There is no truth in them whatsoever”, said Yao Jing.
Referring to his meeting with high-officials of NAB and other institutions, he said he did not find any evidence of any sort of corruption in the CPEC’s projects.
USA, the ambassador said, was doing unfair criticism on the CPEC, which is a project of mutual beneficial cooperation between the two countries and based on win-win situation.
The success of the BRI reflected from the fact that it has been by joined around 170 countries and institutions World over. Through the BRI, an investment of 1.3 trillion dollar will be coming. While the US’s alternate plan-BUILD carries only dollar 60 billion’s investment.
When Pakistan was confronting the crisis of energy, prior to 2015, why the USA at that time did not come to rescue Pakistan, he questioned. Whereas, it was only China in the World that stood with its iron brother to get rid of load-shedding, providing relief to the people.
Yao Jing went on to add, that US’s support to its friendly countries had been conditional. But, he said China never believes in taking political advantage of cooperative partnership. If there is any sincerity on the part of USA, it should come forward to invest in Pakistan. We welcome US’s investment in Pakistan, he added. About the allegation of China’s debt trap, he said it is just based on fiction. The fact of the matter is China’s development’s loan carries very minimum portion of total Pakistan’s foreign debt.
Referring to remarks of Alice about the cost of ML(1) Railways project, he said this project has yet to be finalized, so how the question of cost comes at this stage. He invited her to visit Pakistan to herself see the realities about the CPEC. The ambassador appreciated the Pakistani and Chinese media for the positive coverage on the events, relating to Pakistan-China cooperative partnership.
Mushahid Hussain Syed while rebutting the criticism of Alice on CPEC, urged the USA to sift facts from fiction. The remarks, he said are based on negative propaganda. The CPEC enjoyed complete support of the people of Pakistan and it is a success story that contributed a lot in Pakistan socio-economic development.
About the Media forum, the Editor-in-Chief CEN, Mr. Cui said it has grown into an indispensable exchange platform for the Chinese and Pakistani journalists, with biggest influence and most remarkable achievements. During the working sessions of the forum, the two sides pledged to project the CPEC in its true perceptions, setting aside the negative propaganda by the West. It was decided that the journalists of the two countries will closely work to make CPEC successful in all aspects. On the occasion, some prominent Pakistani and Chinese journalists were given special awards for their contribution on CPEC.
Agencies add: Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing on Friday said that China, Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) had brought phenomenal economic success to Pakistan and produced tangible economic benefits for the people.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the fifth CPEC Media Forum hosted jointly by the Chinese embassy, Pakistan-China Institute and China Economic Net, the ambassador said CPEC is fulfilling the country’s energy needs, providing 30 percent of total electricity generation and providing energy security for economic development in the country. Taking a jibe at US Assistant Secretary of State Alice Wells’ statement criticising CPEC, Ambassador Yao Jing said, “If the US is really concerned about the lack of electricity in Pakistan, why didn’t American companies come to build power stations before 2014.” The Chinese ambassador said he was ‘shocked and surprised’ at Wells’ remarks over CPEC which he said ‘fully exposed’ her ignorance of Pakistan-China relations.
He said that both Pakistan and China agreed that all projects related to CPEC are “clean and transparent.”
“We welcome American investments in Pakistan and we don’t have a problem with it. But the US should not cause aspersions over something they don’t have accurate information on,” said Ambassador Jing. He said 75,000 Pakistanis are directly employed in CPEC projects while there are 200,000 indirect beneficiaries and that over 100 Pakistani companies are involved in CPEC projects, which will generate 2.3 million jobs till 2030 and will contribute 2-2.5% to Pakistan’s GDP. Senator Mushahid Hussain in his welcome address to the forum said that the success of the Pakistan China partnership “rankles many countries.”–Agencies
