China and Pakistan to diversify CPEC portfolio: Chinese envoy

ISLAMABAD: Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong Tuesday said the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would focus on industrialisation, agriculture, socioeconomic and scientific and technological sectors.

The Chinese ambassador expressed these views in a meeting with Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser at the Parliament House on Tuesday.

He said that completion of the 1st phase of the CPEC would open new avenues of development for the people of the region.

He informed that with the start of 2nd phase of the CPEC, socioeconomic, industrialization, agriculture and scientific and technological sectors would be focused. He added that the completion of the CPEC would change the destiny of the region and would unleash a new era of Pak-China relations.

He informed the speaker that time and date for holding virtual conference would be coordinated mutually with the National Assembly Secretariat.

Ambassador Nong Kong said that relations between the two countries were exceptional and were gaining strength with the passage of time.

He said that cooperation between China and Pakistan was a clear depiction of the commitment of leadership of both the countries towards each other.

Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser said that completion of the CPEC would help Pakistan to achieve its economic and industrial goals besides extending the benefits of it to the region.

He said that the present government was committed to take that exemplary relation to new heights.

Talking to the ambassador, the speaker said that the relations between the two countries were based on regional development, mutual trust, trade and economic cooperation.

He added that the cooperation between both the countries was rapidly expanding, thus, it could confidently count on Chinese support at international and regional forums.

He underlined the need for cementing parliamentary contacts for further cementing those ties.

He agreed with the proposal for holding a virtual meeting with chairman of the Chinese National People’s Congress on the 70th anniversary of Pakistan-China diplomatic relations.

While discussing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the speaker said it would significantly contribute not only in bringing socio-economic development in Pakistan but its benefits could be extended to the region.

He said that Parliament stands with the CPEC, therefore, a series of seminars had been arranged to mobilise stakeholders, intelligentsia and other segments of society to increase effectiveness of the project.

He said that commitment of political leadership in Pakistan would make the CPEC a novel model of cooperation.

Referring to the Rashakai Special Economic Zone project, the speaker said that it would prove to be a milestone in the industrial development of the country especially the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The speaker informed that apart from Parliamentary Committee on the CEPC, another Special Committee had been constituted to oversee the early completion of Chashma Right Bank Canal Project, Peshawar-DI Khan Motorway, Chakdara-Chitral Road (Dir Expressway) and other CEPC projects.

He said that the prime minister was on board on all the parliamentary initiatives who had directed all the concerned quarters to extend maximum support to the Parliament in realising the goals.