BEIJING: Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong have reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), with a focus on industrial development, technology, and human resource cooperation.
In a meeting held in Beijing, both sides pledged to deepen strategic and economic ties to drive CPEC’s transformation beyond infrastructure.
According to an official release, the meeting focused on two key priorities: nurturing a skilled, forward-looking workforce and forging deeper business-to-business (B2B) partnerships.
Minister Iqbal underscored these as the twin engines powering the next stage of CPEC — one that will shift focus from infrastructure to industrial, social, and technological development.
Carrying a message of goodwill from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Iqbal thanked China for its consistent support, especially during times of regional instability.
He described the friendship between the two nations as “everlasting,” and hailed China’s development model as a beacon for Pakistan’s transition toward a high-tech, export-led economy.
🇨🇳🇵🇰 Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal @betterpakistan met his old friend, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister, to reaffirm the strong brotherly ties between China and Pakistan.
🇨🇳🇵🇰 They emphasized deepening cooperation through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and… pic.twitter.com/JglOd8EAux
— Dosti Park (@Dostipark) August 2, 2025
Iqbal also outlined Pakistan’s URAAN initiative, built around a Five Es framework, as fully aligned with CPEC’s people-centric Phase II — aiming to secure sustainable progress through education, employment, energy, environment, and e-governance.
Vice Minister Sun Weidong commended Pakistan’s proactive role and Iqbal’s leadership in transforming CPEC from a grand vision into a multibillion-dollar reality.
He reiterated China’s commitment to expanding cooperation in industries, technology, and human capital, promising a future of shared growth through deeper strategic and economic alignment.
