All-Weather Friends: China’s assurance of COVID-19 vaccine provision to Pakistan a timely step

ISLAMABAD:

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi assured his Pakistani counterparty, Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday Beijing would assure supply of over 1 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Pakistan for emergency use.

According to a Foreign Office statement, Qureshi spoke with State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang by the telephone and exchanged views on Covid-19, bilateral relations and regional and international issues of mutual interest. The Foreign Office said that the call lasted for an hour.

During the discussion, the statement said, Foreign Minister Qureshi apprised Wang the Pakistan government had approved the use of vaccine from Sinopharm company for emergency use and expressed the hope for its early availability from China.

He underlined that both Pakistan and China had established various mechanisms which were playing a useful role in controlling the pandemic. Wang assured that “China would work to provide over 1 million doses of the vaccine to Pakistan for emergency use,” the Foreign Office statement added.

Qureshi stressed that the “deep-rooted” bilateral relationship was aimed at promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the region. He reiterated Pakistan’s firm support for ‘One-China’ policy, and backed Beijing on issues of Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong and South China Sea.

Qureshi briefed Wang about India’s aggressive posture in the region and how New Delhi’s bellicose and irresponsible policies were imperilling regional peace. He also emphasised that Pakistan and China must continue coordinated efforts to advance Afghan peace process.

Qureshi underscored that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was a transformational project, and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and CPEC would become the hub of trade and economic activity, sustainable development and greater people-to-people exchanges.

He underlined that Pakistan and China were taking relevant measures for timely completion of CPEC projects. He underscored that the 10th JCC meeting, to be held shortly, would play an instrumental role in this regard.

Foreign Minister Wang expressed satisfaction over Pakistan and China’s cooperation on regional and international issues. He expressed hope that the next year would witness further deepening of the Pakistan-China relationship.

According to the Foreign Office, both the foreign ministers agreed to maintain strategic communication and consultation, at all levels, to promote mutual goals of peace and stability in the region and beyond.

Both sides expressed commitment to further strengthening all-round cooperation and taking the bilateral relationship to a higher level for the benefit of the two countries. Wang also extended an invitation to Qureshi to visit China, which was accepted, the statement added.