Daily Times

The webinar on ‘New Opportunities and Challenges of China-Pakistan Cooperation in the Post-Epidemic Era’ was attended by experts of Chinese and Pakistani think tanks.

The webinar was planned by Pakistan-China Institute PCI.

Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing spoke about the collaboration between the two countries during the pandemic and said his country’s help for Pakistan was worth $15 million. Equipment and experts were flown to Pakistan since the outburst of the disease he said, adding that about 1000 more ventilators are anticipated to be delivered by the end of the month.

About CPEC, he said, over 60,000 Pakistanis had been employed with CPEC projects. He said 13,000 Chinese technicians, engineers and experts were also working on these projects.

Chief of China Overseas Ports Holding Company Zhang Baozhong said neither any Pakistani employee in any CPEC project had been laid off nor anyone has suffered a pay cut during the coronavirus crisis. He said all CPEC projects were free of Covid-19.

Dr Baige Zhao, former Population Minister and head of Research and Development International (RDI), in her opening comments said that President Xi Jinping’s speech about enhancing connectivity through BRI at last month’s high-level video conference showed the will of China to start a new era of globalization. The BRI, she said, would play a key role in promoting peace and stability in the world.

Executive Director of (PCI) Mustafa Hyder Sayed said the recent shift in Iran’s policy with regard to CPEC was a good sign for regional association.

He also called for developing skills of labour working on SEZs and laid stress on the role that the private sector should play in the development of BRI.