-Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Ambassador Nong Rong, NDRC’s Deputy Chief Pan Jiang deliver key speeches at Chinese Embassy’s Award Ceremony
-Ahsan Iqbal stresses learning from China for Pakistan’s economic development
-Says ‘Iron Brothers’ phrase distinguishing Pak-China relations from other countries
-Nong Rong highlights achievements of CPEC especially in job market, Energy production, roads infrastructure
By Mahnoor Makhdoom
ISLAMABAD: Chinese Embassy in Islamabad organized an Award Ceremony to recognize outstanding Pakistani staff of the CPEC Projects 2022, said a statement issued here on Friday.
According to a Chinese Embassy Press Release, key speakers of the ceremony were Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal, Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong, Deputy DG, National Development and Reform Commission of China, Pan Jiang and Deputy CEO, Council Member of APCEA Ying Minghao.
Alongside the key speakers, the statement said the event was also attended by representatives of CPEC companies, Pakistan’s think tanks, and media circles. On top of companies’ representatives who speak were Mir Arslan Ali, from Matiari to Lahore ±660kV HVDC Transmission Line Project, Ms. Shakeela Kosar, from Metro train Orange Line Project Lahore, Muhammad Hamza Khalid from Sahiwal power plant.
In his address, Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan should learn from China for economic and technological development. He said that everyone thought that CPEC was an impossible mission but people on the ground made it possible which is remarkable.
Highlighting the friendship bond between Pakistan and China, the Minister said that the Pakistan and China friendship has defied all rules of international affairs and diplomacy despite changes in world affairs have brought changes in relationships.
The Minister went on to say there were no two countries that have phrases like iron brothers. All these phrases describe the depth and strength of Pakistan-China friendship and brotherhood. He said that Pakistan and China were historically very close in political relations, security cooperation, and other fields except for economic cooperation. The Minister reminded, in 2013 when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited China after resuming office, the economic MoUs of $46 billion were signed between China and Pakistan to start work on the CPEC project. He said that the purpose of CPEC was not to advance China’s business interests but to help Pakistan to advance its economy from an agricultural structure into an Industrial structure. Chinese Envoy H.E. Nong Rong while addressing the award winners said that in 2022, against the challenge of global economic downturn and historical floods in Pakistan, the CPEC projects have made good progress. During this year, the CPEC has always been the highlight of our bilateral relations. On 2nd November, President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on his official visit to China. “Our two sides are committed to making full use of the JCC of the CPEC, advancing CPEC with greater efficiency, and making CPEC an exemplar of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation”, he added. The Ambassador further added that a series of good news are coming from different sectors under the CPEC umbrella. The China-aided Eastbay Expressway of Gwadar port has begun operation since June, enhancing connectivity of the port, which is now transporting two hundred thousand tons of fertilizer. He said that Karot Hydropower started commercial operation in June as well, which provides cheap and clean electricity, and can reduce 3.5 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually.
The Ambassador said that the TEL and Nova power plants in Thar also started operations with the local coal. The Shanghai Electric Thar coal-based power plant has been connected to the national grid. Six model farms under Pakistan-China Red Chilli Contract Farming Project are achieving a harvest in Punjab and Sindh Province, with an estimated yield of 700 tons of dried chilly.
So far, CPEC has created 192,000 jobs, 6000MW of power supply, 510 km of highway, and 886 km of transmission line, which laid a solid foundation for Pakistan’s socio-economic development, Mr. Nong Rong said.
He also informed that recently, China adjusted its COVID prevention and control policies, which include the removal of measures to control the number of international flights and restoration of people-to-people exchanges for business and study.
These will further promote the exchange of people, and facilitate investments between China and Pakistan. More Pakistani staff can take training programs in China. More students can go to China for further study, and come back to join the CPEC projects, the ambassador added.
It is hoped that the Chinese and Pakistani staff will cherish the opportunity, contribute to the construction of the CPEC with practical actions, and continue to consolidate the iron friendship between China and Pakistan, he concluded. Ambassador Nong Rong also extend gratitude to the winners of the award for outstanding Pakistani staff! “The CPEC, as the pilot project of BRI and China-Pakistan cooperation in the new era, will always provides a broad stage for people to display their talents and realize personal values.” The Chinese Ambassador concluded his speech with the traditional friendship slogan “Chin-Pak Dosti Zindabad!”.
