China, Pakistan want Afghanistan to join CPEC

Beijing Dec 26 (IANS) China and Pakistan want Afghanistan to join their multi-billion dollar economic corridor a key component of Beijing s Belt and Road Initiative which India has spurned over sovereignty issues.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the proposal during a trilateral meet with his Pakistani and Afghani counterparts - Khawaja Asif and Salahuddin Rabbani respectively in Beijing.

According to Afghan news outlet Pajhwok Afghan News Yi said Beijing and Islamabad are willing to extend the $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) by including Kabul in it.

"The successful implementation of CPEC projects will serve as a model for enhancing connectivity and cooperation through similar projects in neighbouring countries including Afghanistan Iran and Central and West Asia " he added.

The CPEC - a network of highways railways roads and special economic zones which connects China s Xinjiang with Pakistan s Gwadar port is opposed by India as it passes through Pakistan-administered Kashmir which is claimed by New Delhi.

Attending the trilateral meet here in Beijing Pakistan s Foreign Minister Asif said the project will benefit Afghanistan and other countries in the region.

"Successful implementation of CPEC projects will serve as a model for enhancing connectivity and cooperation through similar projects with neighbouring countries including Afghanistan Iran Central and West Asia."

China has always sought to allay India s apprehensions about the project describing it purely as an economic initiative.

Beijing also says the project will not affect its neutral stance on the Kashmir issue.

--IANS
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