Foreign Minister Qureshi Seeks China's Support for Prime Minister's Global Initiative for Debt Relief

April 15,2020

In order to seek China's support for Prime Minister Imran Khan's recently-launched Global Initiative for Debt Relief, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had a telephone conversation with China's State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

The Foreign Minister underlined that the COVID-19 had a devastating impact on global economy and its aftermath was far more severe than the Great Depression. The impact on the developing countries would be most severe. Keeping these factors in view, Prime Minister Imran Khan had appealed to the world community to work for providing debt relief to the developing countries. Foreign Minster sought China's support for the initiative, including at the G-20 platform.

Foreign Minister underscored that Pakistan and China are All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partners and have preserved the fine tradition of solidarity, mutual assistance and mutual support. He thanked the Government and people of China for extending solidarity and moral and material support to Pakistan in the wake of outbreak of Covid-19. Foreign Minister Qureshi underscored that generous donations and assistance sent by China, for Pakistan, to contain coronavirus were greatly appreciated by Pakistan and its people.

Foreign Minister expressed delight that lockdown from Wuhan had been lifted and normalcy had resumed in Wuhan and Hubei province.

Foreign Minister also thanked China for sending a team of medical experts to Pakistan to help fight the pandemic. The Chinese medical team, he added, had strengthened Pakistan's capacity to control COVID-19 through sharing their experience and expertise with our medical community.

State Councilor Wang Yi thanked Foreign Minister Qureshi for reaching out to China and, appreciating Pakistan's thoughtful and timely gesture, assured that China will support Prime Minister Imran Khan's initiative at the G-20 as well as other relevant fora. State Councilor Wang Yi underlined that COVID-19 had posed great danger to global economic and stability and coordinated and equitable efforts were needed to deal with its aftermath.

State Councilor Wang Yi maintained that during President Dr. Arif Alvi's recent visit to China, Pakistani and Chinese leaders had reached a consensus to jointly fight COVID-19. Beijing was thankful to Pakistan for the support it extended to China in battling COVID-19 and now Chinese people and government were extending support to Pakistan to help it contain the pandemic.