China, Pakistan to take CPEC to new heights in 2020: Chinese envoy

Islamabad: Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing Monday said China and Pakistan were looking forward to take the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to new heights in 2020.

Speaking at the Sangam Club Gala 2019 organised here by the Chinese Embassy, the envoy said the two countries had set new targets for the new year, China Economic Net reported.

“China and Pakistan will work on new projects. These include agriculture, education and the health sector. There will be infrastructure building as we get into the new phase of the CPEC,” the ambassador said.

The envoy said the two allies were very clear about going forward on the CPEC and the bilateral ties. “We aim to multiply the defence and trade relations. We will alleviate poverty. China is ready to help Pakistan in the social sector development,” Ambassador Jing said.

The envoy said since the past 40 years of ‘reform & opening up’, the Chinese people had devoted resources towards the economic development of the country, lifting 700 million people out of poverty.

He said the Chinese economy had been growing speedily and through the signing of CPEC, China wished to bring a similar change for the better in the lives of the people of Pakistan.

He added that Pak-China relations were now in a new stage of enhanced cooperation with CPEC entering a higher level of development.

He said there was a need to counter negative propaganda against CPEC emanating from vested interests, in which the media was to play a substantial role.

He said success of CPEC was evident from what it had achieved. CPEC, the envoy said, had revived projects like Gwadar Port and the Thar Coal Mining project, resolved the chronic energy crisis, built the Western Route which shortened a 2-day journey from Quetta to Gwadar to a mere 8 hours, and empowered women of remote places like Thar to play a substantial role in the development projects.

Commercial Councilor, Chinese Embassy Wang Zhihua said Pakistan and China had great relationship and industrial cooperation was top priority in year 2020.

Mohammed Asghar from the Higher Education Commision (HEC) said that Chinese work extensively and very hard to make CPEC a success.

He said Chinese education institutions had grown immensely over the past few decades and it is time for the world to adopt Look East policy.

He said over 28000 Pakistani students were learning in China but best model for students before travelling to China was to learn about Chinese language and culture.

The ceremony concluded with a number of cultural performances. There was also a martial arts display by Pakistani students.

A collaborative musical band that had both Chinese and Pakistani members performed much to the appreciation of the audience. People from all walks of life attended the Sangam Club Gala.