3,000 projects completed under BRI in 10 years

BEIJING:

Luo Zhaohui, Chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), has revealed that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has seen the completion of over 3,000 projects within the last ten years. This expansive effort has garnered support from more than 180 countries and international organizations. The occasion was marked by the launch of the Urdu version of “Rose Stories Along the Belt and Road,” a compilation of 66 narratives that spotlight China’s foreign aid endeavors. Originally published in Chinese and English in September the previous year, the book celebrates China’s assistance to BRI participants like Pakistan, showcasing profound friendships.

Luo Zhaohui emphasized the book’s significance in conveying the strong bonds that tie the Chinese people to the global community. He reaffirmed that China’s foreign aid is bereft of political conditions or anticipations of reciprocation, resonating with many recipient nations. Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Moin ul Haque, hailed the Urdu edition as a tangible embodiment of the vision to foster a shared future for all.

Tailored for the Pakistani audience, the Urdu edition is designed to illuminate China’s developmental philosophy. This marks China’s ongoing commitment to enhancing lives, particularly within Pakistan. Ambassador Haque extended his appreciation for China’s sustained aid and looked forward to future collaborations shaped by this overarching framework.

In reflecting on Chairman Luo’s ambassadorship during 2006-2010, Haque lauded his pivotal role in advancing key projects such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a cornerstone of bilateral cooperation. The CPEC, emblematic of the BRI, has instigated transformative shifts in Pakistan’s economic landscape, urban development, and energy sector.

Anticipating a broader scope of collaboration, Haque envisions joint efforts spanning economic growth, education, healthcare, climate resilience, and more. He also noted China’s long-term assistance to Pakistan. The vaccines China donated to Pakistan to help the latter’s response to Covid-19 have saved lives of millions of Pakistanis, he said.

The flagship project of the BRI has brought great changes to Pakistan, which is reflected in the fields of economy, urban construction and energy. “In the future, we hope to carry out broader cooperation with China in the fields of economic development, education, health, climate change and so on,” he added.

Also present was Ali Khar, a Pakistani entrepreneur championing artificial intelligence collaboration in China and the book’s Urdu translator. Khar shared his motivation for translating the book, recognizing the need to unveil lesser-known stories of China’s assistance for the wider Pakistani populace. This translation aims to cultivate deeper bilateral relations and strengthen the people-to-people bond between the two nations. APP