BEIJING: Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Geng Shuang has said China urged the United States not to abuse force.
“Meanwhile, we call on relevant parties to exercise restraint to prevent a spiral of escalation. Dialogue and consultation should be resumed to cool off tensions as soon as possible,” Geng Shuang said during a regular media briefing in Beijing.
He said China was highly concerned about the current situation in the Middle East. Worsening of tensions in the Gulf region did not serve the interest of anyone. Ensuring peace and stability in the region was of vital importance to the whole world, he added.
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“China holds that all sides should earnestly abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the basic norms governing international relations. All countries’ independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity should be respected. Peace and stability in the Middle East and the Gulf region should be upheld,” he maintained.
On Pakistan-China relations in the backdrop of the Belt and Road Initiative, he said China would continue to deepen all dimensional cooperation with Pakistan for greater quality development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and to deliver more benefits to our peoples.
The spokesperson said the amended protocol to the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between China and Pakistan had entered into force in December.
The second phase of CPFTA allows the Pakistani manufacturers and traders to export around 313 new products on zero duty to the Chinese market and Pakistan has been allowed to export a total of 1,047 products to China on zero duty.
With the implementation of second phase Pakistan’s exports to China are likely to touch four to five billion dollars in the medium term after setting up a new industry in the special economic zones.
The second phase of Pakistan-China Free Trade Agreement come into effect on December 1, 2018, with tariff reduction measures effective since January 1 this year.
