CPEC commendable endeavor in building China-Pakistan community with shared future: PM
BEIJING (APP): Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Tuesday terming China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a manifestation of strategic relationship said the project has proved as a “catalyst of growth, poverty alleviation and job creation”.
“The CPEC is a beacon of progress and prosperity. It is not just an economic corridor, but a symbol of Pak-China strategic trust,” he said in an interaction with representatives of leading Chinese think-tanks and scholars.
PM Kakar, who is in China on an official visit to attend the Belt and Road Forum, said the CPEC had transformed the socio-economic landscape of Pakistan, upgrading modern infrastructure, enhancing regional connectivity and ensuring energy security.
He mentioned that since the launch of CPEC during the landmark visit of President Xi Jinping to Pakistan in 2015, the project resulted in addition of 800 kilometres of roads, and creation of 8,000 mega watt electricity, and 0.2 million job opportunities.
He expressed confidence that as a project of socio-economic prosperity and sustainable development, CPEC would usher in a new era of development and regional prosperity.
The prime minister recalled that the Chinese vice president during his visit to Pakistan this August outlined five corridors of comprehensive development including growth, livelihood, innovation, greenness, and openness.
He proposed that the next phase of CPEC should be deeper integration of economy so as to tap the potential of development for the mutual benefit of two countries.
Kakar said being the native of Balochistan, he was cognizant of the potential of the area and added that “in collaboration with China, we are poised to unlock opportunities of progress and regional connectivity in Gwadar.”
As part of green technology, he invited the Chinese companies to invest in solar energy sector and called for strengthening energy linkages between Gilgit and Xingiang region.
He said during his upcoming visit to Urumqi in China, he would discuss with stakeholders the opportunities to bring closer collaboration with the Chinese in diverse fields.
Kakar said Paksitan’s huge youth bulge could contribute to the country’s economy provided they are given opportunities besides learning from the Chinese experience.
He said Pakistan enjoyed close and valuable ties with China and would not allow anything to undermine this unique relationship.
Noting the progress of CPEC over the last 10 years, the prime minister underlined the importance of reflecting on the journey thus far, identifying the successes, reviewing the lessons learned, and charting out a map for the next phase of high-quality development of the project.
He also shared that the two sides had agreed to convert the CPEC into a corridor of growth, livelihood, innovation, openness and green development.In their remarks, Chinese academics and scholars underscored the importance and significance of CPEC as a great partnership between Pakistan and China under BRI.
They also reaffirmed the continued interest of Chinese companies to invest in Pakistan’s Special Economic Zones and to contribute to the further growth of CPEC, enhanced regional connectivity and sustainable development.
At the roundtable, the participants agreed that through collective efforts of the two nations, CPEC can become a pivot for regional trade and connectivity and a bridge for people-to-people contacts.
Prior to his address to the think-tanks, the prime minister in his post on social media platform X said he had a productive meeting with Ren Libo, President of the Grandview Institution.
“We discussed shared goals and vision for the future. Grateful for his useful input and looking forward to further strengthening the fraternal bond between Pakistan and China,” the prime minister said.
Meanwhile Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, one of the signature projects under the Belt and Road Initiative, is a practical manifestation of win-win cooperation and shared prosperity and a commendable endeavor in building a China-Pakistan community with a shared future.
“All these elements also form the bedrock of President Xi Jinping’s visionary Belt and Road Initiative,” he said in an exclusive interview with China Daily published here on Tuesday.
The prime minister lauded the Belt and Road Initiative for having “advanced inclusive development to reduce poverty and inequality, improved people’s ability to pay taxes and enhanced governments’ ability to retire their debts”.
The Pakistani leader, who took office in August as the eighth caretaker prime minister of Pakistan, is visiting China for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which will be held in Beijing on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Kakar dismissed theories that the BRI has led participating countries into “debt traps”, saying that China is offering “a unique mechanism of development financing to developing countries — which is without conditions and different from the traditional development financing models”.
“It is wrong to describe BRI financing as a ‘debt trap’; it is rather an essential tool for helping countries in achieving comprehensive and inclusive development of their peoples,” he added.
He explained that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which has brought about a direct investment of $25.4 billion to Pakistan and created a total of 236,000 jobs, is key to the nation’s socioeconomic progress.
“The project underlines an excellent example of an open, coordinated and inclusive development paradigm that benefits all parts of the country and all segments of society,” he said, adding that the development of Gwadar Port has already opened new economic opportunities.
“Strategically located, the port is now functional and regularly handling cargo ships including transshipment trade for Afghanistan. A free economic zone is in place offering lucrative incentives for local, Chinese and other international investors,” Kakar said, adding that a new international airport will also be inaugurated, bringing the port closer to its vision of serving as the hub of regional trade and connectivity.
Meanwhile, the prime minister emphasized that the “foolproof safety and security of Chinese personnel and institutions is our topmost priority”, adding that the Pakistani government has put in place stringent security protocols to safeguard Chinese workers and entrepreneurs.
He cited examples including regular security briefings, risk assessment and information exchanges between the two nations, in order to identify potential threats and come up with solutions accordingly.
“These concerted efforts underline Pakistan’s solid commitment to provide a secure environment for our Chinese brothers and sisters, who are contributing to Pakistan’s socioeconomic development and progress,” he added.
Kakar said he has high expectations for the forum, during which he will meet with Chinese leaders.
“It has provided both our countries with a stage to reaffirm our commitment to international cooperation and development, while highlighting the successes, reviewing the lessons learned and charting the future trajectory of the CPEC,” he said.
“Our relations with China form the cornerstone of our foreign policy. I am here to reaffirm our commitment to this all-weather strategic cooperative partnership,” Kakar said, describing China as a strategic and trustworthy development partner.”
He also spoke highly of China’s remarkable achievement in having lifted more than 800 million people from abject poverty, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.
“Like China, Pakistan too is a developing country, with a population of 240 million. There is so much that we can learn from China to put our nation on a path of sustainable development.”
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