Head of State Diplomacy | This Economic Corridor Interprets the "24/7" Friendship between China and Pakistan | Head of State Diplomacy | China Pakistan Economic Corridor

On July 31st, multiple landmark buildings in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, illuminated the colors of the national flags of China and Pakistan in the darkness.

The China Pakistan Economic Corridor is a landmark project and an important pilot project for the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road". Over the past decade, with the concern and promotion of the leaders of the two countries, China and Pakistan, centering on the corridor construction and focusing on Gwadar Port, energy, infrastructure construction, and industrial cooperation, have jointly drawn a picture of cooperation that "connects Kashgar in Xinjiang in the north, Gwadar Port in the south, crosses the plateau and canyon, and crisscrosses the basin and desert", writing a vivid story for the "the Belt and Road" cooperation to promote development, benefit people's livelihood, and connect people's hearts.

Establishing the foundation for regional interconnectivity

Under the blue sky, by the blue sea, the sound of a whistle and the rolling wheels. This is the scene being presented in Gwadar Port on the southwestern border of Pakistan.

A 100000 square meter container yard equipped with advanced container scanning equipment, with busy cargo throughput in the port area; Not far from the port area, the Gwadar New International Airport project completed its mid-term acceptance in early July and will become another important transportation and logistics hub in the region after completion... With the joint efforts of our two partners, a modern three-dimensional transportation network by sea, land, and air has taken shape.

A container ship is docked at Gwadar Port in Pakistan.

The once sparsely populated small fishing village has now become the "pearl" of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor. "The new Gwadar with international connectivity is coming," exclaimed Mujib Ur Rahman Kambrani, former chairman of the Gwadar Development Authority

Through the north and south, there are four directions of blessings. The Dongwan Expressway, which connects the southern Gwadar Port area, was opened in June last year and runs directly to the hinterland of Pakistan via National Highway 10, accelerating the distribution and import/export of goods; The Sukkur to Multan section of the Peshawar Karachi Expressway further opens up the north-south transportation artery of Pakistan; The second phase of the Karakoram Highway connects the China Pakistan Friendship Highway, and freight buses can directly reach the Hongqilafu Pass in the north... The construction of interconnectivity in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor stimulates the development potential of the areas along the route, paving the way for prosperity and prosperity.

This is the section of the Khwelyan Mansehra Expressway in Pakistan's Karakoram Highway Phase II project.

The achievements in corridor construction have been remarkable, profoundly changing the economic and social landscape of Pakistan.

Zemir Awan, founding chairman of the Global Silk Road Research Alliance, a Pakistani think tank, said that Pakistan's east, west, north, and south are connected by highways built under the corridor framework, and the high-quality road network under the corridor makes commercial activities throughout the country more active.

Establishing a New Benchmark for China Pakistan Friendship

At the end of June, during the peak summer electricity consumption period, the highest surface temperature can reach 50 degrees Celsius on the banks of the Jiram River, 55 kilometers away from the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad. Engineers at the Karot hydropower station continue to conduct routine inspections to ensure efficient operation of the units. This hydropower station is constructed and operated by China Three Gorges Corporation. Since its full operation for one year, it has generated a total of 3.64 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, meeting the electricity needs of over 5 million local people.

Mohammad Maherban lives in Kannad village near the power station. He recalled that in the past, only a few hours of electricity could be used in the area. His youngest son and classmates sometimes had to "do homework in the dark". "The hydropower station provided us with electricity, improving our lives. The Chinese brothers also helped us repair roads and the children's dilapidated school buildings.".

This is a photo taken of the Karot Hydroelectric Dam in Punjab Province, Pakistan.

For a long time, the shortage of energy supply has been hindering the economic and social development of Pakistan. Although the local water resources are abundant, the complex natural environment with many mountains poses challenges for infrastructure development.

In just a few short years, one project after another within the framework of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor has started construction, been completed, and put into operation, greatly improving the shortage of electricity in Pakistan. Sahiwar, Kasim Port, and Khubu coal-fired power stations have been built and put into commercial operation at the "Chinese speed"; The Karot hydropower station converts gurgling water into clean electricity; The Chinese nuclear power unit "Hualong 1" is operating smoothly at the Karachi nuclear power plant; In the vast Gobi "wind corridor" in the southern part of Sindh Province, Pakistan, rows of wind turbines at the Sakhar wind power plant stand neatly

This is the second unit of the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant, the first overseas reactor project of the Hualong 1, captured in Karachi, Pakistan.

The China Pakistan Energy Cooperation Project operates according to local conditions, laying a solid foundation for Pakistan's economic and social development, and allowing local people to reap tangible development dividends.

Pakistan's Minister of Electricity, Huram Dastgil Khan, told reporters that Chinese companies bring advanced technology and management experience to Pakistan and impart advanced knowledge to Pakistani engineers and workers. "The China Pakistan Economic Corridor project has gradually shifted Pakistan's energy supply from dependence on imports to self-sufficiency."

Over the past decade, the construction of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor has become a new benchmark for China Pakistan friendship with its tangible and fruitful achievements.

According to data provided by the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan, as of the end of 2022, the China Pakistan Economic Corridor has created a total of 236000 job opportunities for Pakistan, helping to add 510 kilometers of highways, 8000 megawatts of electricity, and 886 kilometers of national core transmission network.

Create the "the Belt and Road" demonstration project

In July, under the scorching sun, on a farm in Kasul, Punjab Province, eastern Pakistan, red chili peppers covered the yard, and local farmers were shuttling through it.

After drying, these chili peppers will be transported to a storage warehouse in the port city of Karachi, Pakistan, and then transported to China to become raw materials for making Pixian Douban Sauce. The personnel of China Machinery Equipment Engineering Co., Ltd. will bring advanced technology, excellent varieties, management experience, and industrial development models to Pakistan to promote the development of the local chili industry.

After obtaining his doctoral degree from Northwest A&F University in China, Mohammad Amar Askar returned to the farm as a technical consultant to help local farmers learn Chinese chili cultivation techniques. Asgar said that Chinese chili varieties are resistant to high temperatures and diseases, and are suitable for the soil of Pakistan. "I want to impart new technologies in modern agriculture in China to Pakistani farmers, so that knowledge can be transformed into farmers' benefits."

Kasur farmer Rao Shehab planted 7 acres of Chinese chili peppers this year, earning a considerable income. He told reporters that he will plant 50 acres of Chinese chili peppers next year. I hope to continue learning technology from Chinese agricultural workers.

In the chili seedling greenhouse of the China Pakistan chili order planting project in Multan, Punjab Province, Pakistan, Chinese agricultural experts led Pakistani technicians to inspect the growth of chili seedlings.

The construction of corridors is expanding cooperation in areas such as technology, agriculture, and social livelihood. Both sides are committed to jointly building growth corridors, livelihood corridors, innovation corridors, green corridors, and open corridors.

In the eyes of Ahsan Iqbal, Minister of Planning, Development and Special Projects of Pakistan, from seawater desalination projects, vocational and technical training, the China Pakistan Friendship Hospital, to the solar power generation system equipment donated by China to the people of Gwadar, and the Faqur Elementary School built with assistance, these heartwarming projects are constantly enriching the connotation of the construction of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor.

This is Faqu'er Elementary School, jointly built by the China Foundation for Peace and Development and China Hong Kong Control.

The friendly friendship between the two countries, which has long been seeking common development and prosperity, and working together to address challenges, is deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples.

Looking ahead to the future, no matter how the international situation changes, China will always stand firmly together with Pakistan, work together and forge ahead, promote the "iron rod" friendship, coordinate development and security, carry out higher-level, broader, and deeper cooperation, promote the all-weather strategic partnership between China and Pakistan to a new level, and make greater contributions to the peace and prosperity of the two countries and even the region.

Photography: Ahmed Kamal, Li Hao, Liu Tian

Visual: Onion Painting Vision

Produced by the International Department of Xinhua News Agency