By IANS,
Beijing : Pakistan plans to build a cross-border economic zone with railway linkages covering its Gilgit-Baltistan region and the neighbouring Xinjiang region in China, Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Masood Khan said.
He made the remarks during a discussion with the scholars at the think-tank China Institute of International Studies, Daily Times reported Sunday.
Pakistan has pledged to assuage China’s security fears in the wake of the recent violence in Xinjiang, he said. As a way forward, it plans to engage the region by strengthening economic ties.
He said both countries will continue to fight the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) that is active in Xinjiang and blamed for scores of terror attacks.
Both countries are so closely entwined that “any move to hurt China’s security in Xinjiang hurts us simultaneously”, he added.
“Our solidarity in this regard is rock solid. No country or force can drive a wedge between us,” he added.
China also wants to build a special economic zone in its border city of Kashgar to boost trade links with Pakistan.