Pakistan and China agree to extend CPEC to Afghanistan

Tags: International News

Pakistan, China and Afghanistan have agreed to forge closer economic ties by extending the Beijing-backed China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan to fully exploit the country's potential as a hub of regional connectivity.

An overview of the news

• Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, his Chinese counterpart Qin Gang and Taliban-appointed Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Maulvi Amir Khan Muttaki held the 5th China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers' Talks.

• The ministers held in-depth talks on various issues and agreed on good neighbourhood, mutual trust, security cooperation, counter terrorism, connectivity and trade and investment.

• The three countries reiterated their resolve to fully utilize the potential of Afghanistan as a hub of regional connectivity

• The three countries reaffirmed their commitment to further trilateral cooperation under the "Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)" and to jointly extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan.

About China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

• Launched in 2015, CPEC is the flagship project of the multi-billion dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

• It aims to increase Beijing's influence around the world through China-funded infrastructure projects.

• The3,000 km long China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) comprises highways, railways and pipelines.

• The CPEC aims to eventually link the city of Gwadar in southwest Pakistan with Xinjiang, the northwestern region of China, through a vast network of highways and railways.

• The proposed project will be financed by heavily subsidized loans.

• India has objected to the CPEC as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).