China and Pakistan decided to welcome “interested” third countries in the CPEC project which is opposed by India as well as some sections of Pakistani society.
Our response to media queries regarding participation of third countries in CPEC Projects:https://t.co/ma8tupeZYI pic.twitter.com/PYtzvYczNY
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) July 26, 2022
In response to requests for comment about third-country participation in CPEC projects, the Official Spokesperson, Shri Arindam Bagchi, stated:
“We have seen reports on encouraging a proposed participation of third countries in so-called CPEC projects.
Any such actions by any party directly infringe on India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
India firmly and consistently opposes projects in the so-called CPEC, which are in Indian territory that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan.
Such activities are inherently illegal, illegitimate, and unacceptable, and will be treated accordingly by India.”
Many Western governments and analysts see the CPEC as a debt trap used by China to hold member countries’ sovereignty hostage.
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The third meeting of the CPEC Joint Working Group (JWG) on International Cooperation and Coordination was held on July 23 by Pakistani and Chinese officials affiliated with the project (JWG-ICC). The meeting was presided by Pakistan’s foreign secretary Sohail Mahmood and China’s assistant foreign minister Wu Jianghao.
“As an open and inclusive platform, both sides welcomed interested third parties to benefit from avenues for mutually beneficial cooperation opened up by CPEC,” the Pakistan foreign office said in a statement, according to a report by PTI.
The CPEC connects Pakistan’s Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea to Kashgar in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, but it has been faced with significant opposition from Balochistan and sections of Pakistani employees involved in its projects.
During last week’s conference, however, Pakistan and China claimed that CPEC progress had reached a new plateau and had broken new ground in terms of enhancing international and regional connectivity.
India has protested to China over the CPEC, stating that it is being built through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
On the other hand, Chinese President Xi Jinping regards the $60 billion flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a driver of regional and global dominance.