On May 6, 2023 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari jointly met the press in Islamabad.

When asked by a journalist about how China and Pakistan should advance cooperation to ensure that the building of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will provide new momentum to Pakistan's economic and social development, Qin Gang said that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping, and the 10th anniversary of the inception of the CPEC. Through concerted efforts of China and Pakistan, the CPEC, as an important pilot project of the Belt and Road Initiative, has made remarkable progress. It has markedly improved Pakistan's infrastructure, its early harvest projects have gradually yielded economic and social benefits, and the Corridor has become a prime example of the Belt and Road cooperation.

Qin Gang pointed out that China and Pakistan are working closely with all-out efforts to advance high-quality development of the CPEC, and continuously foster new growth drivers, to help Pakistan better integrate into international industrial cooperation, form clusters of advantageous industries, enhance export competitiveness, and realize independent, balanced and sustainable development.

Qin Gang stressed that stability is a prerequisite for development, and security the foundation of strength and prosperity. As a good neighbor, good friend and good partner of Pakistan, China sincerely hopes that all political forces in Pakistan will build up consensus, maintain stability, respond more effectively to domestic and external challenges, and pool efforts to grow economy and improve people's livelihood, so as to bring the country onto a fast track of development and revitalization.

Qin Gang noted that China-Pakistan mutually beneficial cooperation aims to help Pakistan develop economy and enhance people's living standards. Some forces fabricated the rumor that China created a "debt trap" in Pakistan. Friends from the press may as well ask those people what they have actually done to help Pakistan in its construction and development or what financial investment they have brought to the country. Surely the Pakistani people do not need empty talks. What they need is tangible help. As an "ironclad" friend of Pakistan, China will, as always, work hand in hand with Pakistan to advance cooperation, further synergize development strategies of the two countries using the CPEC as a platform, share the opportunities of China's development, and promote the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future.