Islamabad ‘:
Pakistan and China discussed the progress of the ongoing projects of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on Sunday and the preparations for the next meeting of the Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC), where key decisions are expected to strengthen bilateral ties.
Development took place as Federal Minister of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal met with the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong in the Federal Capital.
The Federal Minister of Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid, Anwar Chaudhry, also attended the meeting, which senior officials from both countries joined, according to a statement.
The two parties discussed the progress of the projects and preparations for CPEC for the next JCC meeting.
Iqbal said that the first phase of CPEC has been completed successfully, highlighting that the second phase focused on industrial cooperation, agriculture, information technology and social development.
“Connecting CPEC to the states of Central Asia will contribute to regional economic stability and economic cooperation,” he said, reiterating the government’s commitment to improve and guarantee the safety of CPEC projects.
The minister said that the development of Gwadar and the establishment of special economic zones remained the main priorities of the government, adding that Pakistan was completely committed to optimally using the total capacity of the port.
He stressed that the government was committed to completely capitalize the commercial potential of the deep port while indicating the vast mineral exploration potential in Gwadar and its surroundings. “With the development of modern infrastructure, its mineral resources can be fully capitalized,” he said.
Iqbal also discussed continuous collaboration with China in the agricultural sector, observing that agricultural graduates trained in China would play a vital role in helping Pakistan address the impacts of climate change.
He said that the establishment of the Pakistan Space Center was of national importance, and that China would play a fundamental role in guaranteeing the timely completion of this strategic project.
Ambassador Zaidong reaffirmed China’s commitment to support Pakistan’s development efforts. He said that bilateral cooperation would continue to expand in the coming years.
