ISLAMABAD: Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing on Friday said that China-PakistanEconomic Corridor (CPEC) had brought phenomenal economic success toPakistan and produced tangible economic benefits for the people.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the fifth CPEC Media Forum hostedjointly by the Chinese embassy, Pakistan-China Institute and China EconomicNet, the ambassador said CPEC is fulfilling the country’s energy needs,providing 30 percent of total electricity generation and providing energysecurity for economic development in the country.
Taking a jibe at US Assistant Secretary of State Alice Wells’ statementcriticising CPEC, Ambassador Yao Jing said, “If the US is really concernedabout the lack of electricity in Pakistan, why didn’t American companiescome to build power stations before 2014.”
The Chinese ambassador said he was ‘shocked and surprised’ at Wells’remarks over CPEC which he said ‘fully exposed’ her ignorance ofPakistan-China relations.
He said that both Pakistan and China agreed that all projects related toCPEC are “clean and transparent”.
“We welcome American investments in Pakistan and we don’t have a problemwith it. But the US should not cause aspersions over something they don’thave accurate information on,” said Ambassador Jing.
He said 75,000 Pakistanis are directly employed in CPEC projects whilethere are 200,000 indirect beneficiaries and that over 100 Pakistanicompanies are involved in CPEC projects, which will generate 2.3 millionjobs till 2030 and will contribute 2-2.5% to Pakistan’s GDP.
Senator Mushahid Hussain in his welcome address to the forum said that thesuccess of the Pakistan China partnership “rankles many countries.”