Secondly, transportation being the basis of CPEC and since such transportation could not detour through India and Afghanistan the connectivity between China and Pakistan would unavoidably have to pass through the Kashmir area on the Pakistan side.
The two countries agreed on implementation of the upgradation of ML1 and the establishment of Havelian Dry Port in Pakistan.
China has already announced plans to station its marines there as well in Djibouti in Horn of Africa in Indian Ocean.
The spokesman also reaffirmed India's opposition to a Chinese-Pakistani economic corridor that runs through disputed Kashmir.
Chinese investments related to the Belt and Road initiative have totalled $60 billion since 2013, and Beijing plans to invest $600 billion to $800 billion in the next five years, an official said here.
Almost 65 countries are expected to take part in the summit though only 20 heads of state will attend it.
Ahsan Iqbal also informed the media that MoUs on the implementation of up gradation of the ML1 Project and establishing the Havelian Dry port are a step towards the implementation of the strategic project in an orderly manner.
During his meeting with Sharif, Xi stressed that a long- term planning for the corridor should be completed as soon as possible and cooperation programmes covering energy, transportation infrastructure and people's livelihoods should be promoted.
He informed that the two countries would promote the bilateral cooperation, guided by the principles of wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits.
U.S. delegates to attend China's Belt and Road forum
China has invested more than $50 billion in Belt and Road countries since 2013, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. The plan is expected to see ports, railways and roads boost China's trade in countries across Asia, Africa and Europe.
"We should build an open platform of cooperation and uphold and grow an open world economy", Xi said.
India was infuriated at China's move to block India's membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) through the fig leaf of seeking a policy first on admission of non-NPT signatory nations and also blocking UN sanctions on Pakistan-based terrorist Masood Azhar.
As concrete steps to promote seamless traffic flows, China and the European Union signed an MOU for the establishment of a "Connectivity Platform".
However, a major security concern is CPEC giving China control of Pakistan's Gwadar port.
The official had also suggested that China's agreement with Pakistan for CPEC wouldn't affect any "future settlement" of the Kashmir issue. The smaller countries that have become a part of the initiative will soon realise that the interest rates of China's loans will make them mortgage their assets to China.
"The presence of all four provincial chief ministers symbolises the broad-based support in Pakistan for cooperation with China and the CPEC", he remarked.
The biggest recipients of the investment dollars were expected to be India, Russia, Indonesia, Iran and Egypt, the bank said in a report released earlier this month.
The two countries, however, sealed a deal Friday for China to export cooked poultry to America and resume U.S. beef imports.
Prime ministers joining the event are Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia, Voreqe Bainimarama of Fiji, Alexis Tsipras of Greece, Viktor Orban of Hungary, Paolo Gentiloni of Italy, Jargaltulga Erdenebat of Mongolia, Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan, Beata Szydlo of Poland, Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia, Mariano Rajoy of Spain and Ranil Wickremesinghe of Sri Lanka.
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