Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: China attaches high priority to ending the ongoing energy crisis in the country, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong said on Saturday.

He was talking to Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) president Zubair Tufail and FPCCI Coordination Chairman Malik Sohail Hussain.

“Dealing with the energy crisis in Pakistan is our top priority. We will add 11,000 megawatts of electricity to the national grid as soon as possible through highly efficient power plants,” he said.

Weidong said that after overcoming the energy crisis, China would develop infrastructure and then initiate the process of industrialisation.

“The increasing relations between Pakistan and China are mutually beneficial. They will have a positive impact on the whole region,” he said.

He said that the bond of friendship between the two friendly countries would be cemented further by the passage of time.

“All the stakeholders must recognise the importance of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which will change the fate of Pakistan,” he said.

The ambassador said that CPEC would boost the economic and social development of Pakistan and the region and many new business opportunities were coming up for all the related nations.

He said that reservations expressed by the business community and some other circles about CPEC were speculative and time would prove them wrong.

“Pakistan is not producing things that are needed in China which is a reason behind imbalance in trade, but the situation will change once Chinese companies start producing things needed in China in Pakistan,” he said.

He said that Pakistan could enhance exports to 35 billion dollars for which serious efforts were needed.

The ambassador furthered stated that no Chinese company would be allowed to install used machinery in Pakistan, and transfer of technology would be a prerequisite.

“Security of the economic zones must be ensured so that Chinese experts working in Pakistan feel safe,” he said, adding that visa procedure was being improved for Pakistani businessmen and that local business community should participate in the expos and seminars in China to improve understanding and trade.

On the occasion, Zubair Tufail praised the Chinese cooperation aimed at development of Pakistan and said that China was more interested in development of Pakistan than trade.

He said that local business community should not worry as CPEC would unleash a new era of development in Pakistan. “Therefore, nothing should be allowed to slow the pace of this critical project,” he said.