ISLAMABAD: Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing said on Wednesday that the upcomingvisit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to China would take the relationsbetween the two countries into a ‘new era’ of development and prosperity.
Addressing the participants during the launch of a book, ‘CPEC – APrecursor to Regional Economic Growth and Stability’, published byStrategic Vision Institute (SVI), Ambassador Yao Jing said that Pakistanand China are entering a ‘new stage of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC)’ under which the areas of cooperation would be expanded.
He said the leadership-level discussion on the next phase of CPEC wouldtake place during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to China, where hewould 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 discoursefrom CPEC’s geostrategic and political implications to economic anddevelopment aspects.
The book, containing 12 chapters, has been edited by SVI President Dr ZafarIqbal Cheema.
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“The new phase is based on a stronger private sector involvement, includingthe activation of special economic zones, social sector cooperation, andthe involvement of third country partners,” the envoy stated. “An agreementon social sector cooperation would be signed during PM Khan’s upcomingvisit to China.”
He said the social sector cooperation would cover six areas includingeducation, health, agriculture, water and irrigation, poverty alleviation,and human resource development. “As many as 27 projects are being initiatedwith the Chinese grant of $1 billion.”
Ambassador Jing said that both countries had agreed to involve othercountries in the mega-project, adding that all countries are welcome tojoin the development of Pakistan’s economy.
