ISLAMABAD: Parliamentary Committee on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was informed here on Monday that China considers Pakistan as the most important partner in its foreign policy.
Briefing media after meeting of the committee held here Tuesday, Chairman of the committee, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed quoted Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan Yao Jing as saying that China also consider CPEC, one of the most powerful pillar of its grand One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative.
He said Yao Jing had vast experience in the region as he also had served twice the Chinese embassy in Pakistan besides serving the Chinese embassy in New Delhi and Kabul.The meeting was informed that 2018 will be an important year for CPEC as during the year, a number of projects under it would be completed and the mega project would enter in to its practical phase.
He said it was also agreed in the meeting to take media into confidence in a bid to minimize negative news being propagated by the foreign media against CPEC and to ensure transparency in CPEC projects. Furthermore, the meeting was also informed that special attention was being given to establishment of nine Special Economic Zones (SEZs) under CPEC in various parts of the country in which private sector would specifically be taken on board.
Mushahid Hussain said the meeting was also informed that CPEC was not only confined to Pakistan and China only, therefore its range would be extended to Afghanistan and the Middle East. In addition, particular focus would also be laid on newly added sectors including agriculture, tourism, culture, and Information Technology.
Meanwhile, senior officials of Ministry of Planning and Development informed the committee that a delegation headed by Secretary Planning Shoaib Siddiqui visited China last week to take forward the decision taken by 7th Joint Coordination Committee on CPEC in November last year in Pakistan.
They said the delegation specifically talked about Karachi Circular Railway project, and up-gradation of 1870 km long Main Line 1 from Karachi to Torkhum.