ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday said that the bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and China under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would lead to the transfer of technology, knowledge and skills to Pakistan.
Ahsan Iqbal was jointly presiding the seventh meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) of CPEC along with his Chinese counterpart. The meeting was held in Islamabad to review and approve various development projects
“CPEC is helping to promote a knowledge-based economy in Pakistan,” the minister said.
More than 150 officials from Pakistan and China were in attendance at the meeting. The chief ministers of all provinces, along with Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, were also present.
Moreover, the private sector also participated in the meeting for the first time.
Ahsan Iqbal said that the 7th JCC meeting was a milestone towards realising the potential of CPEC and noted that the people of Pakistan valued the multifaceted cooperation extended by the government and people of China to Pakistan.
He said that the project was currently heading towards completion of its first phase and the JCC meeting was of historical significance in the finalisation of the long-term project.
“The long-term plan will give new dimensions to the bilateral cooperation between China and Pakistan,” he said.
The minister said that the project would expand the scope of co-operation in various areas, including social, education and health sectors.
Talking about Gwadar, Iqbal said that projects in Gwadar were of utmost importance for the people of the area as well as for national development.
Cooperation is vital for public to benefit from CPEC: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, during a meeting with a Chinese delegation led by China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou, highlighted the need of an increase in cooperation between the two countries in order to ensure that the people benefit from CPEC.
Abbasi expressed satisfaction that the energy and infrastructure projects under CPEC were progressing smoothly, Radio Pakistan reported.
The matters pertaining to bilateral trade, security and law and order situation in Afghanistan were also discussed during the meeting, the report added.
The Chinese delegation had met Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua in Islamabad for the eighth round of strategic talks between Pakistan and China.