Pakistan, Chinese sides hold ‘very productive’ meeting to boost cooperation
Islamabad: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, held a very productive meeting with Zhao Chenxin, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China, at NDRC headquarters on Monday afternoon to discuss ongoing and future cooperation between the two countries.
The minister was accompanied by Pakistan Ambassador to China, Khalil Hashmi. The meeting underscored the mutual commitment of Pakistan and China to further strengthen their All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership, said an official statement issued here.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which continues to be a cornerstone of bilateral relations.
During the meeting in Beijing, both sides reviewed the progress of the CPEC with an emphasis on ensuring the timely completion of projects and launching an upgraded version of the CPEC as per the agreement reached at the leadership level.
Both the 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. Ahsan Iqbal recalled the productive meeting with Zhao Chenxin, in May this year.
He conveyed Pakistan’s deep appreciation for President Xi’s visionary initiatives – Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Global Development Initiative (GDI) and Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) and their transformational impact in social and economic terms across the developing world.
The Minister also recalled  the fruitful visit by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to China last month- substantive meetings with President Xi, Premier Li, and the Chairman NPC Standing Committee, a comprehensive joint statement, upgradation of CPEC into phase II, signing of 23 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs)/Agreements and a very successful business conference in Shenzhen featuring nearly 10000 B2B meetings.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif is singularly focused on the follow-up of his China visit and accelerated implementation of CPEC projects added the minister.
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.
Ahsan Iqbal expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leadership for their unwavering support and collaboration. He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to facilitating Chinese investments and ensuring the success of CPEC projects.
Zhao Chenxin highlighted the potential for increased Chinese investment in Pakistan, particularly in the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) being developed under CPEC.
Zhao Chenxin 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.
