Pakistan, China entering a new stage of CPEC, says Chinese envoy

ISLAMABAD: Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing has said Pakistan and China are entering a ‘new stage of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)’ under which the areas of cooperation would be expanded.

He was addressing the participants during a book launching ceremony. Titled ‘CPEC – A Precursor to Regional Economic Growth and Stability’, the book is published by Strategic Vision Institute.

Yao Jing said the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to China would take the relations between the two countries into a ‘new era’ of development and prosperity.

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He said the leadership-level discussion on the next phase of CPEC would take place during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to China, where he would attend the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Forum next week.

The book contained chapters written by both Pakistani and Chinese scholars. It highlights the opportunities and potential of the economic corridor, addresses the misperceptions, and brings back the focus of the discourse from CPEC’s geostrategic and political implications to economic and development aspects.

“The new phase is based on a stronger private sector involvement, including the activation of special economic zones, social sector cooperation, and the involvement of third country partners,” the envoy stated. “An agreement on social sector cooperation would be signed during PM Khan’s upcoming visit to China.”

He said the social sector cooperation would cover six areas including education, health, agriculture, water and irrigation, poverty alleviation, and human resource development. “As many as 27 projects are being initiated with the Chinese grant of $1 billion.”

Ambassador Jing said that both countries had agreed to involve other countries in the mega-project, adding that all countries are welcome to join the development of Pakistan’s economy.