Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: On Thursday, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Sun Weidong, said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework would set forth collaboration in the fields of finance, science and technology and even culture to benefit people in both countries, socially and economically.

He said this while talking to media sources after the inaugural session of the launching ceremony of the China-Southern Airlines Introduction and Recommendation. He added that at present, the CPEC was mainly focused on the four sectors of economic cooperation, which included infrastructure, development and energy generation in order to uplift the economies of both the countries. “The cooperation under CPEC initiative would (also) be extended to other sectors in future,” he remarked.

He then asserted that this cooperation would be expanded to finance, science and technology, crafts and culture in order to further boost the bilateral trade and the economic ties between the two brotherly countries. Weidong further added that various economic projects worth multi-billion dollars were being carried out and implemented under the CPEC in a smooth manner. “It was a matter of great satisfaction that the CPEC projects were fully supported and owned by all stakeholders including the leadership, governments and people of both the countries,” he added.

He also believed that the CPEC had now entered a decisive phase, whereas it was being implemented with downright transparency. He also maintained that the projects would equally benefit the people in both countries as well as the entire region and open up new avenues of social and economic cooperation and development. The Ambassador noted that in order to enhance people-to-people connectivity as well as to create awareness about their respective cultures, the Chinese government had also established a culture centre in Pakistan. Weidong said that several working groups had already been formed for a swift implementation of projects progressing under various CPEC initiatives, which were meeting regularly to assess the implementation of the projects.

The Ambassador also addressed the ceremony and said that the CPEC would not only benefit China and Pakistan but also be beneficial for the entire region besides playing an important role for its prosperity and development. Weidong noted, “two of China and three of Pakistanis airlines have been operating for the last 22 years from Islamabad to Urumqi.”

He added that regular flights between Pakistan and China have already been started, further asserting, “It is expected that number of flights would also be extended during the days to come.” The initiative would help in further boosting bilateral trade and people to people contacts, besides it would also expedite CPEC projects, the Ambassador said.