(Source: Russian Satellite News Agency 2024-08-06）
Nepal and Pakistan speak highly of China's assistance to these two countries in domestic stability, energy and financial security.
Nepal Prime Minister Oli inspected a construction site in Makwanpur district on Monday. A major infrastructure project is being implemented here with the help of China. The arrival inspection coincides with the symbolic completion of the fourth tunnel on the two-way four-lane highway. The tunnel will connect Kathmandu to Madhesh province, which borders India to the south and west.
The Prime Minister of Nepal said that the project is closely related"National pride" is an "important milestone" in achieving Nepal's development goals. The entire construction was undertaken by China Poly Changda Engineering Co., Ltd. The company signed a contract agreement with the Nepal Army in 2021. The Army Chief expressed his gratitude to Chinese experts at the completion ceremony and called tunnel construction one of the "toughest jobs on the highway."
Elisa, expert of the South Asia and Indian Ocean Research Group of the Asia-Pacific Research Center of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences ·Jia Jinna, in an interview with Sputnik News Agency, particularly emphasized the strategic importance of Chinese enterprises’ contribution to Nepal’s social stability.
She said:"The Prime Minister of Nepal attended the tunnel completion ceremony to prove the importance and pride of the project at the national level. This shows that the government attaches great importance to maintaining national stability and solving socio-economic problems."
China’s role in supporting Pakistan’s national development is equally impressive. Pakistan Energy Minister Leghari said on Monday that the agreement reached with China to convert thermal power plants to burn local coal is very important. He said this is an important step towards expanding energy cooperation and economic stability between the two countries. Switching to burning local coal is expected to ease some of Pakistan's financial constraints related to imports, while also contributing to broader reforms such as lowering electricity prices and improving energy efficiency.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz·Sharif is expecting a positive response from China to his request for debt restructuring. In a meeting with local journalists who were previously invited to the International Communication Development Center of China International Publishing Group and have returned from their visit to China, he said that if China agrees to give Pakistan five to seven years to repay the loan, the government will be able to reduce inflation, including electricity prices.
Also during this meeting, the Pakistani Prime Minister said that what China has done for Pakistan is something that no other country can do. He also emphasized that restoring relations with the United States should not be at the expense of relations with China.Wang Zhimin, researcher at the National Institute of Opening-up and Development, w88 casino, and director of the Institute of Globalization and Chinese Modernizationcommented on this in an interview with Sputnik News that in the current context of the Sino-US game, the United States is constantly trying to win over countries with which it has good relations to choose sides, putting countries like Pakistan and Southeast Asian countries in a more difficult position.
Director Wang Zhiminsaid:"After all, all countries hope to have a good diplomatic environment in the world, including a good geopolitical and economic environment, and are unwilling to completely side with one side. China and Pakistan are neighboring countries and have a certain dependence on geopolitics and economy. Pakistan is also the first country to establish an all-weather strategic partnership with China. In fact, China and Pakistan have always maintained good relations, no matter how the Pakistani government changes. , this good relationship has not changed. In addition, China-Pakistan economic relations are also good, especially as the flagship project of the "Belt and Road" initiative, the two development stages of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor have been relatively smooth. Of course, there have been some problems during the construction of the corridor, such as the occurrence of terrorist attacks against China, which may involve factors such as the "Balochistan Liberation Army"'s threat to the Pakistani government and the support and interference of external forces."
“But on the other hand, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has indeed promoted the economic and social development of Pakistan and improved the local industrialization level. At the same time, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has also brought benefits to China. This w88 corridor including roads, railways, oil and gas and optical cable channels has promoted regional interconnection and allowed China’s northwest and Central Asian countries to find the nearest outlet to the sea. Overall It seems that many countries, including Pakistan, hope to develop good economic relations with China, because cooperation with China, a huge market, can bring tangible benefits to them. This is something that the United States cannot do. Moreover, China’s development experience is more in line with the needs of developing countries. China has always insisted on respecting national sovereignty and not interfering in other countries’ internal affairs, which is something that the United States often exceeds.”
Cooperation with China has brought tangible strategic benefits to South Asian countries. At the same time, China has provided them with stable political support and has been implementing long-term economic projects. Despite the traditional domestic and financial instability in many countries in the region, and the increasing geopolitical pressure exerted by Western countries on their development of relations with China, these countries continue to insist on cooperation with China as always.
With original text link：https://sputniknews.cn/20240806/1060827859.html
