Pakistan and China enjoy close and friendly relations .This relationship has built on the strength of its successive achievements, and has become formidable with each passing day and year. The leadership of both countries is committed to taking this relationship forward. Pakistan was one of the first countries that recognized the People’s Republic of China. Pakistan considers China as one of its closest friend and partner and China considers Pakistan as its “Iron Brother”.
The bilateral relationship between the two neighboring countries is characterized by feelings of mutual trust, respect and goodwill towards each other. There is a regular exchange of visits at the highest level between the two countries. The strategic cooperation between Pakistan and China has grown over the past several
decades.
Economically, China is Pakistan’s largest trading partner and a major investor, especially in infrastructure and energy sector. With the official launch of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the bilateral relationship has been elevated to a higher level. CPEC is a flagship project of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s initiative of “One Road and One Belt”. It aims at enhancing connectivity and improving infrastructure between Pakistan and China. Several projects are being implemented under CPEC, for enhancement of infrastructure and generation of energy. People-to-people contacts are an important aspect of the bilateral relationship.
Pakistan Ambassador to China, Moin ul Haque said that the China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor played a vital role in the future economic development of Pakistan, with the Gwadar port as the main component.
“The CPEC is one of the most important flagship project of the five corridors launched under Belt and Road Initiative. Half of its projects have already been executed, he said in an interview .
Ambassador Haque said, under the first phase of the CPEC, several major energy project including hydro, wind and solar projects were executed.
“The second component of the CPEC is infrastructure, highways, waterways and bridges which have been built across Pakistan, improving the communication and road infrastructure, he added.
The important part of physical infrastructure was laying the fiber optic link from Chinese border to Pakistan to
help the communication network.
Ambassador Haque remarked that the third important component of the first phase was the Gwadar port which is almost complete and functional.
About special Economic Zone being set up in Gwadar, he said, a large number of Chinese companies were setting their businesses there.
The country was entering into phase two which was even more important and focused on industrialization, agriculture, social well-being of the people, poverty alleviation and green economy.
“We have also launched recently China-Pakistan healthcare corridor, digital corridor, green corridor,” he added.
He said “Under Green Corridor, we are focusing on the agriculture and food security, and in digital corridor, we are
benefiting from China’s experience and expertise in the IT sector and industry.
“The government is developing special economic zones and encouraging relocation of Chinese industries to Pakistan not only to help the domestic market, but also to the region and exporting to other countries,” he added.
Terming the CPEC a broad framework of economic development for Pakistan and also for the region, Ambassador Haque said, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has rightly linked it with the economic future of Pakistan.
