ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday hailed fresh trade agreements between Pakistan and China as the start of the “second phase” of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and vowed that the two countries won’t “tolerate any kind of obstacle” in the way of their friendship.

He passed these remarks at a ceremony in which Pakistan and China signed six agreements for the promotion of bilateral cooperation. Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, who is in Pakistan on a three-day visit, also attended the event.

Addressing the occasion, PM Shehbaz said, “I thank the Chinese president for sending his senior official to Pakistan, expressing the solidarity of people-to-people friendship between the two countries. This gesture demonstrates the strength of our friendship.”

“I have no doubt that we are entering into the second phase of CPEC. Today, we have signed some important documents which will enhance our economic cooperation, and we will undertake the second phase under a new mode,” he told the gathering.

The PM highlighted that the agreements would lead to investments in agriculture and IT, enabling Pakistan, with China’s support, to export items according to the requirements and standards of the Chinese government.

He emphasised, “The CPEC was signed by then prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping, and it was implemented promptly.”

“Today, we can claim that under the CPEC, more than $25bn investment took place in power, energy, public transport, and other sectors.”

He also expressed gratitude to the Chinese vice premier for visiting Pakistan as the two countries celebrate ten years of the CPEC.

Earlier in the day, the Chinese vice premier was accorded a welcome after he arrived at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad to meet PM Shehbaz Sharif.

The premier received the foreign dignitary at the main entrance of the PM House.

Upon He Lifeng’s arrival, the prime minister introduced his delegation comprising federal cabinet members Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Ishaq Dar, Rana Sanaullah, Syed Naveed Qamar, Ahsan Iqbal, Saad Rafiq, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Hina Rabbani Khar and Tariq Fatemi to the Chinese vice premier.

Taking to Twitter, the PM “warmly welcomed” the Chinese vice premier and the members of his delegation.

“They are visiting Pakistan to join us in celebrating the 10th anniversary of CPEC and witnessing first-hand the transformations brought about by this game-changing initiative,” PM Shehbaz said.

The Chinese vice premier arrived in Islamabad a day earlier at the invitation of the Pakistani government. He was welcomed at the airport by Dar and Sanaullah.

According to the Foreign Office, the visiting dignitary will be in Pakistan from July 30 to August 1 (Tuesday). He Lifeng will attend a ceremony celebrating a decade of CPEC as the chief guest.

Earlier, the FO had also acknowledged Lifeng’s “prominent role” in China’s international economic relations and implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, of which CPEC is a flagship project.

As the chairman of China’s National Development and Reform Commission from 2017 to 2023, he was “instrumental in the planning and execution of multiple CPEC projects in Pakistan”, the FO had said.

It had added that his visit was a part of regular high-level exchanges and dialogue between Pakistan and China and reflected the importance attached by both countries to further deepen their “all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, enhance economic and financial cooperation, advance high-quality development of CPEC and explore new avenues for strengthening trade and investment ties”.