Pakistan, China reaffirm commitment to CPEC

Pakistan and China have reaffirmed their commitment to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, which continues to be a cornerstone of bilateral relations. This commitment was made during a meeting between Minister for Planning, Development Ahsan Iqbal and Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission of China Zhao Chenxin, in Beijing. The meeting underscored the mutual commitment of Pakistan and China to further strengthen their All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership. During the meeting, both sides reviewed the progress of the CPEC with an emphasis on ensuring the timely completion of projects and launching an upgraded version of the CPEC as per the agreement reached at the leadership level. They highlighted significance of CPEC projects in enhancing connectivity, trade, and socio-economic development in the region. It was agreed to fast-track the work on the ML-I project, KKH realignment and, the Sukkur- Hyderabad motorway which is the only missing link within the Karachi-Peshawar motorway network. Discussions were also held on expanding the scope of cooperation to new areas such as technology, innovation, education, connectivity, and renewable energy. Vice Chairman NDRC highlighted the potential for increased Chinese investment in Pakistan, particularly in the Special Economic Zones being developed under CPEC. Zhao Chenxin reaffirmed China's support for Pakistan's development initiatives and expressed confidence in the continued success of the partnership between the two countries. Source: Radio Pakistan