CPEC attracted $25.9b investment, created over 260,000 jobs: Ambassador Jiang Zedong

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zedong said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has attracted more than $25.9 billion in direct investment and created over 260,000 jobs, describing the initiative as a major contributor to Pakistan’s socio-economic development.

The ambassador made the remarks at a briefing organised by the Chinese Embassy and the Institute of Regional Studies titled “Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Thought on Party Building.”

Jiang said CPEC had added more than 8,000 megawatts to Pakistan’s power generation capacity, built 510 kilometres of highways and developed 886 kilometres of national-level power transmission infrastructure.

He said President Xi Jinping had consistently attached importance to Pakistan’s national development and the well-being of its people and had stressed that China’s friendly policy towards Pakistan was intended to benefit the entire Pakistani population.

The envoy said all regions of Pakistan should be considered in the planning and development of CPEC so that the benefits of development could reach people across the country.

Jiang said Xi Jinping’s Thought on Party Building emphasised putting people first, serving the public interest and ensuring that development translated into tangible benefits for citizens.

He said China-Pakistan cooperation should similarly be advanced in a manner that delivers greater benefits to the people of both countries.

Referring to China’s poverty alleviation programme, Jiang said Xi had undertaken more than 50 field visits covering 14 previously disadvantaged regions and promoted the concept of targeted poverty alleviation.

He said more than three million first party secretaries and cadres, nearly two million township officials and millions of grassroots cadres participated in efforts that ultimately eliminated absolute poverty in China.

Turning to bilateral economic cooperation, Jiang said a recent visit to Faisalabad Industrial Park found 39 Chinese private companies operating there, most of them successfully and profitably.

He said five ceramic companies alone paid around $20 million in taxes annually and employed more than 5,000 local workers.

The ambassador said China was ready to work with Pakistan on both major projects and smaller public welfare initiatives under a people-centred development approach.

He also highlighted growing exchanges between the Communist Party of China and Pakistani political parties, including an MoU on inter-party cooperation, the CPEC political party consultation mechanism and the China-Pakistan Political Parties Forum.

Jiang said China would continue working with political parties in Pakistan to strengthen bilateral cooperation and ensure that the longstanding friendship between the two countries was carried forward to future generations.