According to Zhao Shiren, the Chinese Consul General in Lahore, China and Pakistan have decided to expand the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). During the first official visit to China by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the two all-weather allies came to an agreement.
The Consul General claimed that PM Shehbaz’s first official was quite successful while speaking at a conference over the weekend. Both parties made a commitment to CPEC to add four more routes during his visit. Digital, industrial, green, and health will be the new corridors.
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The Consul General stressed that no one in China or Pakistan is to blame for the recent slowdown in the pace of development on the CPEC when asked about it. He did, however, guarantee that the speed of the CPEC project will immediately pick up.
China and Pakistan will both benefit much from CPEC, the consul general continued, but Pakistan will gain more from the ground-breaking initiative. China just serves as a facilitator for CPEC; Pakistan is the one in charge.
Distinguished personalities also spoke at the conference. Foreign policy expert Muhammad Mahdi urged all political parties to include support for the CPEC in their manifestos for the upcoming elections.
Mahdi highlighted that Pakistan is embracing the west when asked about anti-CPEC propaganda. PM Shehbaz stated at a recent reception sponsored by the US Ambassador to Pakistan that Pakistan will work with any nation that steps forward to assist it with the CPEC.
He continued by saying that China had given Rs. 30 billion to the victims of the devastating floods brought on by this year’s record-breaking monsoon rainfall. This is the largest gift given to Pakistan by any nation.
Leading an organisation for agricultural research, Jawed Salim Qureshi urged China to transfer technology to the agricultural industry in order to increase the productivity of cotton, wheat, and maize.
He continued, insisting that new seeds must be released because the current varieties of seeds for various crops are not yielding the desired results. He also urged businesspeople on both sides to expand their mutual cooperation in the area of agriculture.
