Pakistan has sovereign right to make any decision on CPEC: US – Newspaper

LAHORE: Pakistan has the sovereign right to decide its future with respect to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), says the US ambassador.

"The comments of US Undersecretary Alice Wells on CPEC were intended to generate a debate; however, it is Pakistan's sovereign right to decide its future (in this regard). We do not expect everyone to agree with us or agree with every aspect of it. speech, "the US ambassador to Islamabad, Paul W. Jones, said here Monday.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the historic Wazir Khan Masjid to review ongoing restoration work under the "United States Ambassador Fund for Cultural Preservation," Jones said there should be a lot of debate and discussions about it. [Ms Wells’] speaks.

"Pakistanis must understand Alice Wells statement" and this must be taken in a positive way. You have to understand different aspects of this statement, ”he said.

The ambassador also said that not only in Pakistan but in other countries also the path of development was important for people's prosperity, therefore, it should be transparent and openly debated.

Accompanied by his wife Catherine, Jones said that Lahore is a beautiful city that has a great culture, commerce and tourism. "I am delighted that we have such a dynamic and experienced consul general, Catherine Rodriguez, here," he said.

Ms. Well had said that CPEC could affect Pakistan's economy, since it was not an aid but a form of financing that guaranteed profits for Chinese state-owned enterprises. However, Pakistan rejected the statement that said Alice Wells' speech on CPEC was based on an incorrect analysis and an incorrect evaluation of the facts. China's Ambassador to Islamabad Yao Jing also rejected Ms. Wells' statement, saying that "China-Pakistan relations are based on mutually beneficial cooperation and are mutually beneficial."

Yao expressed amazement at Ms. Wells' statement of a higher rate at power plants, established under the CPEC.

The ambassador questioned that when in 2013, Chinese companies were establishing power plants in Pakistan, where was the United States? Why he did not invest in Pakistan's electricity sector despite knowing that Pakistan urgently needed electricity.

He said that China had always come forward to help Pakistan in need without any political or governmental difference. He said that if Pakistan needed him, China would never ask him to pay his loans on time, while, on the other hand, the International Monetary Fund, which is governed primarily by the West, was strict in its payment system.

Published on Dawn, November 26, 2019