This is the first virtual conference between the four countries in the midst of a pandemic.
Beijing:
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday held the first joint virtual conference with his counterparts from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nepal in which he proposed a four-point plan to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, boost economic recovery and the resumption of the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) infrastructure projects.
Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar and Nepalese Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali attended the virtual meeting, according to a press release from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi did not attend the meeting. Pakistan was represented by Minister of Economic Affairs Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar.
Addressing the meeting, which is the first involving the four countries, Mr. Wang proposed the four-point plan of action including consolidating consensus on unity and combating the pandemic, avoiding politicization and the stigma of the coronavirus and by firmly supporting the World Health Organization (WHO) in playing its rightful role of jointly building a global health community.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration formally notified the United Nations of its decision to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO), severing ties with the global health body despite the pandemic coronavirus raging in the country.
The United States has accused the WHO of siding with China on the outbreak of the coronavirus, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, alleging that the health body has misleads the world, resulting in the deaths of over half a million people worldwide, including over 146,000 in America alone.
Wang said the four countries should conduct regional cooperation on joint pandemic prevention and control based on the experience of China and Pakistan, according to the press release.
He said that when the Chinese vaccine is developed, China will improve the accessibility of vaccines to the three countries and help them strengthen their public health systems.
Significantly, he also proposed that after the pandemic, the four countries should resolutely support the joint development of the China Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by promoting the resumption of works and the production of construction projects. key cooperation, maintain the stability of industrial and supply chains, and create new points of economic growth in the digital domain.
“We will actively promote the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Trans-Himalayan Connectivity Network (THCN), support the extension of the corridor to Afghanistan and further unleash the dividends of regional connectivity,” he said. Mr. Wang said. .
The BRI is a multibillion dollar initiative launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping upon coming to power in 2013. It aims to connect Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe through a network of land and sea routes.
While USD 60 billion CPEC is the BIS flagship project, which India has protested against to China as it is being laid across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), THCN aims to connect Nepal and China via Tibet.
“We must make use of our geographical advantages, strengthen trade and connectivity between the four countries and the countries of Central Asia, and safeguard regional peace and stability,” Wang said.
His remarks are significant because they come amid border tensions between India and China. Pakistan and Nepal are also actively involved in the construction of large infrastructure projects under CPEC and THCN, which is causing much concern in New Delhi.
The ministers of Pakistan, Nepal and Afghanistan “actively supported” Wang’s proposed four-point cooperation initiative and thanked China for providing medical material assistance and food support, as well as experiences. shared in the prevention and control of epidemics, according to the press release.
All parties supported the maintenance of multilateralism, strengthened the role of WHO, supported the achievement of a ceasefire in Afghanistan during the epidemic and the process of peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan, he said. he adds.
Bakhtiar, who represented Pakistan at the conference, stressed that participating countries should develop a political consensus against COVID-19 and declare a united front to combat it.
He said COVID-19 has inflicted a punitive human and economic cost globally and disrupted the social and political architecture of the world.
“Pakistan was ready both to strengthen its cooperation in combating COVID-19 and in post-pandemic economic recovery with participating countries,” the minister said.
Mr. Bakhtiar said the CPEC could play an important role in stimulating regional growth and recovery in the post-COVID-19 period.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi did not participate but in a video message to the conference, he stressed the need for unity, solidarity and multilateral cooperation to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi did not participate but in a video message to the conference, he stressed the need for unity, solidarity and multilateral cooperation to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
