Expansion to Boost Regional Connectivity
Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong has proposed extending the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan, Iran, and other regional partners, aiming to enhance trade and connectivity across Central, South, and West Asia. He said this would strengthen Pakistan’s geo-economic position and accelerate the shift from geopolitics to geo-economics.
CPEC as Cornerstone of Economic Transformation
Speaking at the “CPEC in My Eyes” forum in Islamabad, Jiang reaffirmed that CPEC remains central to Pakistan’s economic transformation, aligning with national development goals and regional integration plans.
Key Achievements Since Inception
Jiang highlighted CPEC’s progress, citing $25.4 billion in direct investment, 510 km of motorways, over 8,000 MW added to the power grid, and 886 km of transmission lines. Major infrastructure milestones include Gwadar Port’s development, the Sukkur-Multan Motorway, new energy projects, and the East Bay Expressway.
Social Development in Gwadar
The envoy pointed to CPEC’s role in improving public welfare, noting the Chinese-aided Friendship Hospital in Gwadar that has treated 90,000 patients, and the 5,000-ton-per-day desalination plant helping resolve water shortages. He said the initiative now focuses on five priority corridors, growth, livelihood, innovation, green, and open, dismissing slowdown claims as baseless.
Linking BRI with ‘Uraan Pakistan’
Jiang revealed that 90% of CPEC projects are complete and suggested integrating China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with Pakistan’s “Uraan Pakistan” program to expand regional benefits. He praised Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts and 2.6% economic growth, expressing confidence that CPEC security challenges will be overcome.
Pakistan’s Vision for CPEC
Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar described CPEC as a “sharing of dreams and hopes” that has created jobs, boosted agriculture, industry, and trade, and connected Khunjerab to Gwadar. He said Gwadar Port is being upgraded to international standards to attract global investors, calling CPEC a “guarantor of development, employment, security, and prosperity” for the region.
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