Chinese Embassy in Islamabad issued statement to media, terming the statements of American Diplomat Alice Wells nothing but “pack of lies”.
ISLAMABAD: (Urdu Point/Pakistan Point News-Jan 23rd, 2020) China has rejected the statements made by United States (US) Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells against China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
A press release issued by the Chinese embassy in Pakistan said that they rejected Alice Wells’ news on CPEC. “ We will not let the truth be distorted and the lies run wild,” said the press release.
“We have to make our position clear and reject negative propaganda by the US against CPEC,” said the release, addressing Alice Wells that she cannot wake up a person who was pretending to be asleep. China said that they would be more happy to see the US developing relationship with Pakistan.
Alice Wells on Wednesday asked Pakistan to rethink its involvement in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
Alice Wells strongly criticize CPEC that it lacked transparency in all its projects, saying that Pakistan’s debt burden was growing due to the Chinese financing. She expressed these views while talking at a think tank event. Academicians and representatives of civil society also took part in the sitting in Islamabad.
Alice who was on four-day visit to Pakistan after visit to India and Sri Lanka targeted flagship project of China’s One Belt One Road Initiative. She said that the companies blacklisted by the World Bank got contracts in the CPEC. The US ambassador also objected to the immunity from prosecution for the newly formed CPEC Authority that served as the focal body working to identify new areas of cooperation and projects, besides facilitation, coordination and monitoring of ongoing projects.
Amb Wells stated that Chinese money was not assistance. By getting Chinese financing for the projects, Pakistan was buying expensive loans and as a buyer it needed to be aware of what it was doing as this would take a heavy toll on its already struggling economy.
The diplomat also touched on the cost escalation in railways ML-1 upgrade project. The link connects Karachi with Peshawar. She urged the government to be transparent about the mega project.
According to a Foreign Office statement, the US Acting Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells also called o Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood. In their meeting, they discussed bilateral issues including the prospects of intensifying political engagement and expanding economic partnership. “It was emphasised that a strong trade and investment relationship was key to advancing the shared vision of the leadership of both countries for a long term, broad-based and enduring partnership,” the statement read.
They also discussed the current situation of Occupied Kashmir and the Indian violations of Line of Control. The foreign secretary urged the need for international community to play its role for ending the rights violations and peaceful resolution of the dispute.
