Pakistani President Arif Alvi gave an exclusive interview to the main station reporter at the presidential palace in Islamabad. Alvi first fully affirmed and appreciated the cooperation between China and Pakistan in combating the COVID-19 epidemic.
Alvi said that China has made great efforts to control the COVID-19 epidemic, and China’s anti-epidemic experience has also greatly helped other countries overcome the epidemic.
President of Pakistan Arif Alvi: As a great power, China has controlled the spread of the epidemic in a month or two, and it is still well controlled. In March this year, I visited China at the invitation of President Xi, which expressed my confidence in the Chinese people’s successful control of the COVID-19 epidemic. China and Pakistan has a good cooperation in the fight against the epidemic. China shares its anti-epidemic experience with Pakistan and sends a medical team to Pakistan. The Chinese medical team has visited me twice. We have learned from China’s experience, because this is the first experience in the world. Those countries that have learned and adopted China’s experience in the fight against the epidemic. If you improve, Pakistan will increase a lot.
Alvi said that although the number of infected people in Pakistan has rebounded at present, he believes that Pakistan can control the epidemic by adopting effective blockade measures and learning from China’s experience.
Pakistani President Arif Alvi: Pakistan and China have carried out cooperative trials of the coronavirus vaccine. At present, Pakistan is conducting free testing of the vaccine. I believe that China produces vaccines more for the benefit of mankind than for commercial profit. I hope we can develop an effective vaccine and share it with People of the world.
During the epidemic, the construction project of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has been steadily promoted.
Since the outbreak of the epidemic, China and Pakistan have escorted the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and adhered to the promotion of production and projects while epidemic prevention.
During this period, the Metyari-Lahore high-voltage DC transmission project was fully connected; a number of green and clean energy projects such as Kohala and Azadpatan Hydropower Station signed concession agreements; the second phase of the Karakoram Highway upgrading project was fully opened to traffic, further improving the transportation network in northwest Pakistan; Pakistan’s The opening and operation of the rail transit orange line project in Lahore, the two major cities, has brought Pakistan into the “city railway era”; the throughput of Gwadar Port is rising, and the re-export trade of goods in Afghanistan has been officially launched, which has effectively guaranteed the normal supply of living materials for the Pakistani and Afghan people during the epidemic.
China and Pakistan have further deepened industrial cooperation and signed a project development agreement for the Rashakaj Special Economic Zone. In addition, a number of environmental protection and people’s livelihood projects, such as the expansion of Gwadarfatri school, the “friendship forest” between China and Pakistan, disaster relief material assistance, and the donation of cold chain vaccine storage and transportation equipment, were completed on schedule.
Pakistani President Alvi: The construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor promotes world peaceful development
In an exclusive interview with the reporter of the Central Station, Pakistani President Alvi said that since the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative and the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, it has played an important role in international interconnection and the maintenance of world peace.
President of Pakistan Arif Alvi: I think in a broad sense, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is part of the Belt and Road Initiative. Pakistan itself has geopolitical advantages and is also a regional economic center. All goods from Central Asia and China can be waterways in the shortest time. Enter Afghanistan from Pakistan. Last year, Gwadar Port began to operate Afghan re-export trade, which proves the potential of Gwadar Port. With the help and cooperation of China, Pakistan is building Gwadar Port, which we have high hopes for.
Alvi said that Pakistan and China have been connected by the Karakoram Highway, and goods from Gwadar port can be exported to China, and Chinese goods can also arrive at Gwadar port. And interconnection with the Central Asian countries requires peace in Afghanistan. China and Pakistan have made a lot of efforts to promote the peace process in Afghanistan.
Pakistani President Arif Alvi: Once the Afghan problem is solved, a door will be opened, which will bring more results to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, connect all Central Asian countries, and can carry out natural gas, optical fiber, energy, roads and railways within the framework of the Belt and Road and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Cooperation, I think this will be a new world, a new era, it will bring peace to the world, not isolation, and will establish interconnection.
Alvi said that China is striving to maintain world peace through the Belt and Road Initiative and the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Pakistani President Arif Alvi: China is striving to maintain world peace through the Belt and Road Initiative and the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, because the more trade between countries, the more contacts, the less hatred between countries, the less likely war and the less likely it is to exploit.
Alvi said that he greatly appreciated the concepts of peace, development, cooperation and win-win situation advocated by China.
President of Pakistan Arif Alvi: Although some countries try to isolate China and its partners, President Xi still often talks about peace, and President Xi will actively promote international trade.
Alvi: The construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor promotes the improvement of social and people’s livelihood
Since the outbreak of the epidemic, China and Pakistan have escorted the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and adhered to production and promotion while epidemic prevention.
Pakistani President Arif Alvi: Although the economy has been affected to some extent, it is not as big as other countries. Pakistan’s GDP has increased by 0.5%. This is the result of learning from China’s experience and summarizing our own experience. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has not been affected by the epidemic. In the future, we will pay attention to industrialization and social and people’s livelihood projects. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is not only infrastructure, but also has the policy concept of lifting people out of poverty. The social and people’s livelihood cooperation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has become more important.
