To expand regional benefits, China’s Ambassador Jiang Zaidong proposed linking China’s Belt Road and Initiative (BRI) with the Uraan Pakistan – a five-year national economic transformation strategy launched by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in December 2024.
It is pertinent to mention here that Uraan Pakistan was launched to drive sustainable growth and modernize Pakistan’s economy through focused reforms and investments across critical sectors. Islamabad designed the initiative around macroeconomic instability, structural fiscal deficits, and weak export performance over several decades, intending to break cycle of boom-and-bust growth.
Speaking at a seminar in Islamabad on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the Chinese ambassador reaffirmed China’s strong commitment to strengthening agricultural industrial cooperation with Pakistan under the framework of the multi-billion dollars economic corridor. He highlighted the wide-ranging benefits the flagship Belt Road Initiative project has brought to Pakistan.
He said the economic corridor has contributed to upgrading infrastructure, and generating employment opportunities, while paving the way for industrial growth. He noted that both Pakistan and China were committed to further expanding cooperation in trade, investment, and technology besides people-to-people exchanges. “CPEC is not only a symbol of our friendship but also a driving force for a socio-economic development,” he said.
Ambassador Jiang Zaidong announced that the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor would focus on industrial cooperation, agriculture, and sustainable development. He said that relations between Pakistan and China were at their best, with mutual trust, respect, and cooperation at the core of their partnership. He emphasized that both the countries were enhancing collaboration in the agriculture sector to promote modernization and high-quality production using advanced technologies.
He noted that Pakistan’s agriculture sector holds great potential and that ongoing cooperation has already yielded successful outcomes. The seminar was attended by senior government officials, business leaders, scholars, and representatives of both the countries, who discussed ways to accelerate the pace of CPEC projects and strengthen bilateral ties.
Addressing the seminar, Federal Minister for Information Atta Tarar said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor was more than just a corridor — it was a sharing of dreams and hopes between the two nations. He said the project had generated jobs, boosted agriculture, industry, and trade, and created opportunities from Khunjerab to Gwadar. “Pakistan-China friendship has been passed down from generation to generation,” he stressed.
He said that Gwadar Port was being developed to international standards to attract investors and traders, with the government aiming to make it Pakistan’s most modern and secure city. He called the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor a guarantor of development, employment, security, and prosperity for the region, highlighting its role in strengthening decades-long Pak-China ties.
Zhao Shiren invites Malik Muhammad Ahmed
China’s Consul General Zhao Shiren called on Punjab’s Acting Governor Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan at the Governor’s House in Lahore, and discussed projects of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and ways to enhance cooperation in new areas. During the meeting, exchange of parliamentary delegations also came under the discussion.
The acting governor said that Pak-China relations were deep-rooted and based on mutual respect, trust and love. He said that China has always stood by Pakistan in every difficult moment. He said he values China’s cooperation in Pakistan’s development. “CPEC is the key not only to the development of Pakistan but also to the prosperity of the region.” He said the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor project has brought development and prosperity to Pakistan.
Zhao Shiren said the People’s Republic of China attaches great importance to its friendship with Pakistan. He said that cooperation and partnership in the fields of education, agriculture, poverty alleviation, and health would be enhanced with Pakistan. He said that cooperation between universities of Pakistan and China in agricultural research would be enhanced. He invited the acting governor as a special guest on the occasion of the National Day of the People’s Republic of China.
