ISLAMABAD: Mr. Li Young, Chinese Commercial Councillor read the following message of the Ambassador.
The CPEC is the pilot project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a historic visit to Pakistan, and unveiled a new chapter for the CPEC with a “1+4” structure, focusing on Gwadar Port, energy, transport infrastructure, and industrial cooperation. Ever since, the CPEC has steadily developed, and is termed as the “Game Changer” by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
With our joint efforts, the CPEC has made remarkable achievements, and have brought ‘tangible benefits to the two peoples, and laid a solid foundation for Pakistan’s economic and social development, and help to facilitate Pakistan’s strategic transition from Geo-politics to Geo-economy. So far, the CPEC has 46 projects completed or under construction, with a total investment of US$25.4 billion.
Gwadar is right on its way towards the regional trade and business hub. The first phase of the Gwadar Free Zone is completed, and has attracted 40 companies with a total direct investment above 3 billion RMB. The second phase, which is 36 times larger, was i’naugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan. The China-aided Vocational and Technical Training Center was handed over to Pakistan in October, and can offer 1000 local youth to learn working skills every year. The East Bay Expressway is about to be completed by the end of this month. The construction of the New Gwadar International Airport is speeding up, and is expected to have its first flight by early 2023.
In areas like energy and infrastructure, the CPEC projects have provided one-quarter of the national supply of electricity, brought 886 kilometers of national transmission line, and 510 kilometers of highways to Pakistan, which play an important role in the country’s overall development. SEZs like the Rashakai has been launched, also was i’naugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan. In the field of social livelihood, 17 projects have been launched, and more are underway. Agricultural cooperation like the plant of chilly is quite successful, and the export of onion to China is kicking off.
The CPEC has entered a new stage of development. On September 23, 10th Joint Cooperation Committee Meeting on CPEC was successfully held. Both sides agreed on comprehensively building the health, industrial, trade, digital, and green corridors in the near future.
First, we are committed to building a health corridor. Our two governments and people have been helping each other in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. China has provided vaccine to Pakistan, with a total of 135 million doses. Through joint efforts, the loca’lization[ˌləʊkəlaɪˈzeɪʃn] of vaccine production has been realized. We set up a model for international cooperation in this regard, and will build a closer partnership in the heath sector.
Second, we are committed to building an industrial corridor. Industrial cooperation is the top priority for enhancing the productivity of Pakistan, a country with more than 200 million people. Pakistan has a huge market with golden opportunities. We will encourage and support more Chinese companies, especially manu’facturing companies to invest in Pakistan, which will boost employment, earn foreign exchange and generate tax revenue through more exports.
Third, we are committed to building a trade corridor. After the protocol of the second phase of the China-Pakistan FTA, which came into force in 2020, trade liberali’zation[ˌlɪbrəlaɪˈzeɪʃn] has been significantly promoted. According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, China imported $2.12 billion worth of goods from Pakistan in 2020, up by 17.5% year-on-year. We will expand the import of Pakistani products to build closer trade partnership.
Fourth, we are committed to building a digital corridor. Digiti’zation[ˌdɪdʒɪtaɪˈzeɪʃn] is the trend of the times. In the 10th JCC meeting, a new Joint Working Group on IT Industry was set up. We will seize the historical opportunity in a new round of scientific and technological revolution, as well as industrial transforamation, to develop the digital economy, and step up exchanges and cooperation on digital technologies, such as new infrastructure, mobile payment, e-commerce networks, smart factories and digital TV, and make Pakistan a model of the Digital Silk Road.
Fifth, we are committed to building a green corridor. Prime Minister Imran Khan’s “10 billion tree tsu’nami initiative is in the line with the concept of “green mountains are golden mountains”, posed by President Xi Jinping. China and Pakistan should strengthen cooperation on green in’frastructure, green energy, green finance, green agriculture, green forests, green investment.
China is much encouraged by the positive gesture taken by the Pakistan government and its leaders. Prime Minister Imran Khan personally attached great importance to the development of the CPEC, saying that “CPEC projects are running at full swing, and it is quickly moving towards the industrial cooperation which will help the country in wealth creation.” A new me’chanism for better coordination of CPEC projects has been established, named Pak-China Relations Steering Committee. New visa policy on CPEC was released, which will facilitate the potential investors and partners for access. New institution as The Foreign National Security Cell was set up to enhance security measures. Prime Minister himself communicated twice already with Chinese entre’preneurs for advice, and convened high-level meeting to study the development of SEZs, and instructed all lo’calities and departments to enhance support for the CPEC. These all give us more confidence on the future of the CPEC.
As President Xi Jinping stated in a phone call with Prime Minister Imran Khan on October 26, the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. Under the new circumstances, the two countries should stand together even more firmly, and push forward the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, and build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era. For this aim, we should work hand in hand, jointly build CPEC with high-quality development, and bring more benefits to the whole nation and beyond, adding strong impetus to regional peace and prosperity.
