BEIJING: China on Tuesday commended Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s positive comments regarding the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
During a regular briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said that China is ready to collaborate with Pakistan in building an upgraded version of the CPEC, aiming to create a growth corridor, a livelihood-enhancing corridor, an innovation corridor, a green corridor, and an open corridor. This initiative aims to deliver greater benefits to both nations under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The Pakistan premier while talking to Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidon in Islamabad last week, stressed that Islamabad was keen to advance to the next phase of CPEC, including the operationalization of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to facilitate Chinese investment.
In an interview with Xinhua, the state-run news agency of China, Sharif mentioned Pakistan’s readiness to promote technological development and agriculture through the CPEC’s second phase.
Lin Jian highlighted the significant achievements of CPEC, including early cooperation harvests in transportation, infrastructure, energy, and industry sectors.
He noted the important common understanding reached by leaders of both countries on the high-quality development of CPEC during the 10th-anniversary celebration of the project.
China reaffirmed its commitment to work with Pakistan in deepening cooperation across various areas, fostering new growth, and building an upgraded version of CPEC for the mutual benefit of both peoples.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), launched in 2013 as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, connects Gwadar Port in Pakistan with Kashgar in China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. This corridor has attracted over $25 billion in direct investment to Pakistan and generated numerous job opportunities over the past decade.
