News Desk
ISLAMABAD: Speaker of the National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf has said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was an epic manifestation of the ironclad friendship and all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.
Addressing a launching ceremony of the All-Pakistan Chinese Enterprises’ Association (APCEA) sustainable development report 2022, on Tuesday the speaker National Assembly said the project was mutually beneficial for both countries, however, the whole region could gain benefits from the project owing to its viability.
The gathering was arranged by the SDGs Secretariat of the National Assembly of Pakistan in support of APCEA at the Institute of Pakistan Parliamentary Services Islamabad.
He further said that sustainable economic development had always remained a key objective for Pakistan despite several challenges, however, CPEC played a major role in attaining the above objective through improved connectivity and socio-economic development.
Meanwhile, the SDGs Secretariat and APCEA organized the launch of a report with the title “APCEA Sustainable Development Report 2022”. The said report provides an inclusive overview of the CPEC projects in Pakistan while emphasizing the contribution of the CPEC in the proper implementation of the 2030 SDGs Agenda.
The speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf said the CPEC was one significant and important strategic imperative that had received attention in Pakistan and many other countries in the world. The project in its second phase had shifted its focus to the Pakistani education industry, economics, infrastructure, and sustainability comprising the opening of technical education institutions and introducing and expanding of student exchange programs, Pervez Ashraf added.
Chinese Leaders term CPEC a Symbol of Strategic Partnership
Meanwhile, Wang Jie, Executive Vice Chairman of APCEA and CEO of Bank of China Limited (Pakistan Operations), in his remarks, elucidated the vigorous need for realizing the reputation of sustainable development and taking all possible corrective measures.
He expressed APCEA’s beliefs about the term “sustainability” and “sustainable development” which go beyond producing renewable energy. Wang Jie stated that Chinese enterprises practice sustainable development in all aspects, to assist Pak-China relations.
Subsequently, their guiding principle is the fulfillment of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), comprising reliability, technological improvement, the welfare of the local masses, and the exploring and development of their talents.
State Minister for Finance & Revenue, Aisha Ghaus Pasha, in her address, said that CPEC project being a major asset of the country will facilitate Pakistan’s socioeconomic development as the tremendous human capital of the region.
She further said that CPEC projects have unleashed opportunities for socio-economic development for the masses in Pakistan. She added that in the second phase of CPEC, investment possibilities worth billions of dollars would be available in Pakistan in industries that directly back the SDGs.
It will cover scores of industries comprising transportation and logistics, finance, renewable and alternative energy, healthcare, education, technology, media, and communication, etc., she added.
