President lauds Chinese collaboration for CPEC projects

KARACHI – A webinar was held on Thursday, under the auspices of Karachi Council on Foreign Relations (KCFR), Ikram Sehgal.

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Chairman KCFR, hosted the session. The Chair introduced the guests, President Islamic Republic of Pakistan,. Arif Alvi, Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Asim Saleem Bajwa, Chairman CPEC Authority. The Chairman then handed over webinars to moderator Alveena Agha.

Addressing the participants, President thanked the Chair and the participants for giving him the privilege of addressing the webinar.

Addressing the seminar the President appreciated the Chinese leadership for their initiative on CPEC and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

He said that peace was central to the trade routes and wars have always disrupted it. He expressed his satisfaction with the progress of CPEC projects in Pakistan. Concluding the speech, he recalled, “Friendship between China is deeper than the ocean and higher than the Skies.” He said that the Government of Pakistan expects Chinese investment and cooperation in every sector of the economy.

Yao Jing, Chinese Ambassador while addressing the webinar, thanked the chair, the KCFR, and the participants,

He said that the Chinese government and the people of China appreciate the solidarity and support of the Pakistani Government and the people of Pakistan.

Ambassador Yao Jing identified the downturn in the global economy and informed that China was still trying to revive its economy due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He identified that in the post-COVID-19 world, the international development of unilateralism and protectionism, CPEC is primarily built to enhance cooperation between the two countries. Concluding, he said that Chinese business and government are committed to CPEC projects and will extend its full cooperation.

Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Asim Saleem Bajwa, Chairman CPEC Authority in his address stated that the CPEC as one of the most successful collaborations between Pakistan and China, adding, that CPEC has been designed in three phases.

Phase One is early harvest short term projects which were meant to fill the gaps in construction and energy, identifying the three routes being built under the CPEC project connecting all major cities of Pakistan with Seaports.

He informed that CPEC projects were the first instance of introducing corporate farming while saving the stakes of small farmers and their further integration for enhancing yield. He informed people in Karachi that the Government of Pakistan is inviting Chinese companies for port infrastructure.

Concluding the webinar the Chair, Ikram Sehgal said that the CPEC changes the geopolitical dynamics of the world.

He identified that due to BRI the intercontinental distances have been decreased, and these are free routes with no interdiction. He marked the recent development that Charbahar port in Iran has been now taken by the Chinese and the energy projects, and technically it has now become a China, Iran, and Pakistan economic corridor.