China greets Sharif; calls to build economic corridor

China today said it will continue to have mutually beneficial cooperation with Pakistan and called for steps to pursue the economic corridor to connect the two countries through PoK.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has sent his message of congratulation to Pakistan's new Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif shortly after his election win.
"China extends its warm congratulations to Sharif for being getting elected as the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
"Premier Li has already sent his message of congratulation to him shortly after his success in the election," Hong told media briefing here.
"As a close and friendly neighbour, China will continue to have mutual beneficial cooperation with Pakistan in all fields and supports its efforts in realising its national stability and economic and social development," he said.

Hong specially mentioned the economic corridor proposed by the Chinese Premier during his last month's visit to Pakistan.

"We are ready to work with Pakistan to speed up the project of upgrading the Karakoram Highway, actively explore and develop the long-term plans of building a China-Pakistan economic corridor, expanding our shared interests," Li had said during his visit.
Li was the first foreign dignitary to meet Sharif after the Pakistan election results was announced.
"To build China-Pakistan economic corridor is an important consensus, reached between the two sides during the Premiere Li's visit.
"China is ready to work with Pakistan to build project and to work on the planning and construction of the corridor, so as to make it a new highlight of the bilateral cooperation," Hong said.

The project includes connecting the two countries through oil pipelines and rails roads according to Pakistani analysts.
"Both nations are expected to step up their cooperation on building the oil pipeline and railroads linking the two countries," Wang Dehua of the Shanghai Institute for International Strategic Studies had told the official media here last month.
Both countries have completed the feasibility studies to build railway line connecting Kashghar in China's Xinjiang province with PoK (Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir).