Daily Times

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, held a productive meeting with Zhao Chenxin, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China, at NDRC headquarters to discuss ongoing and future cooperation between the two countries.

The meeting underscored the mutual commitment of Pakistan and China to further strengthening the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership, according to an official statement. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which continues to be a cornerstone of bilateral relations, Gwadar Pro reported on Tuesday. During the meeting in Beijing, both sides reviewed the progress of CPEC with an emphasis on ensuring the timely completion of projects and launching an upgraded version of CPEC as per the agreement reached at the leadership level.

Both sides highlighted significance of CPEC projects in enhancing connectivity, trade, and socio-economic development in the region. It was agreed to fast-track the work on the ML-I project, KKH realignment, for which both sides signed the framework agreement last month, and, the Sukkur- Hyderabad motorway which is the only missing link within the Karachi-Peshawar motorway network. Discussions were also held on expanding the scope of cooperation to new areas such as technology, innovation, education, connectivity, and renewable energy.

The minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong commitment to revitalizing CPEC in its next phase through the operationalization of the five corridors of growth, livelihoods, innovation, green development, and inclusivity.

The vision of five corridors is well aligned with Pakistan’s 5Es Framework (exports, e-Pakistan, environment, equity, energy, and education), said the minister.

Ahsan Iqbal emphasized Pakistan’s interest in learning from China’s experiences in these sectors to drive sustainable development. NDRC may consider organizing a high-level workshop in Beijing to discuss ways to operationalize the five corridors in alignment with Pakistan’s 5Es framework. “Our experts can develop an agenda and share concept notes ahead of this workshop. If necessary, online preparatory meetings can be held,” he added. He also discussed ways to bring more predictability in convening meetings of the JWG and JCC mechanisms.

Zhao Chenxin highlighted the potential for increased Chinese investment in Pakistan, particularly in the Special Economic Zones being developed under CPEC. Zhao reaffirmed China’s support for Pakistan’s development initiatives and expressed confidence in the continued success of the partnership between the two countries. The meeting concluded with both leaders expressing optimism about the future of Pakistan-China relations and their shared vision of prosperity and development for their people.