China categorically rejects Indian’s baseless assertions on the China Pakistan Economic Corridor at the United Nations Briefing on Biodiversity, Conservation, and Sustainable Transport.
Responding to the Indian delegation, the Chinese Minister for Transport of the People’s Republic of China Mr. Dai Dongchang rebuffed their baseless assertion and categorically termed China Pakistan Economic Cooperation as an Economic Cooperation Initiative, that “is not related to any third party”. Referring further to the unfounded concerns, he further maintained that “it (China Pakistan Economic Corridor is not related to their [Indian] sovereignty or territorial integrity. and is not influencing China’s position on these certain aspects”.
The Chinese Minister was speaking at the virtual briefing entitled Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Transport for Global Development. In his opening remarks, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jun mentioned that President Xi Jinping attended the leaders’ summit of Cop 15 and the opening ceremony of the sustainable transport conference.
Ambassador Munir Akram while speaking at the event, mentioned Pakistan’s collaboration with China in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the flagship project of the Belton Road initiative, saying that “The China Pakistan Economic Corridor is one of the largest rail and road connectivity projects in the world”. “We’ll be opening of the Gwadar Port, and its use for transit trade with Central Asia and China” he informed further.
“The project for the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, will serve the prosperity and progress of the entire region, we are heartened by the possibility of restoration of peace in Afghanistan, which will increase the level of connectivity of these adjacent regions of Asia”: said, Ambassador Munir Akram.
When Indian diplomat started speaking on BRI and how CPEC impinges India's sovereignty , Microphone goes silent … Organiser China calls it "Technical Glitch" 😀
I report https://t.co/RK3cnH5Fnr
— Naveen Kapoor (@IamNaveenKapoor) October 21, 2021
The Indian delegation had expressed concerns over the references to the Belt and Road Initiative saying that “the sustainable transport] conference venue carried objectionable maps” and that they cannot accept the inclusion of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, as a flagship project, given that it passes through India’s territory. “We do not support any initiative that disregards sovereignty and territorial integrity of India”, the Indian delegation said.
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This event was co-hosted by the Permanent Mission of China, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and Conservation of Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat.