The China Pakistan Economic Corridor has achieved fruitful results in the past decade since its launch. Exclusive interview with Pakistani Minister China Pakistan | Project | Achievements
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, a landmark project of the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road". Pakistani Prime Minister Shabaz stated that the China Pakistan Economic Corridor has played a crucial role in changing the economic landscape of Pakistan. Ahsan Iqbal, Minister of Planning, Development and Special Projects of Pakistan, has been vigorously promoting cooperation in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor and is known as the "Mr. China Pakistan Economic Corridor". Recently, he led a delegation to visit China and co chaired the 12th meeting of the Joint Cooperation Committee of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor with the Chinese side. He also gave an exclusive interview to CCTV reporters from Taiwan yesterday.
Iqbal stated that he has witnessed the continuous advancement of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, and the practical achievements achieved over the past decade have laid a solid foundation for Pakistan's industrialization, modernization, and connectivity, greatly enhancing the well-being of the Pakistani people.
Ahsan Iqbal, Minister of Planning, Development, and Special Projects in Pakistan: Ten years ago, the China Pakistan Economic Corridor was only on paper, but today, this vision has been transformed into various projects worth over 25 billion US dollars, including energy, infrastructure, information technology, and socio-economic development. Before 2013, we faced a daily electricity shortage of 12 to 14 hours. But now, we have established over 8000 megawatts of power projects. The second phase of the construction of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, which has already been launched, will focus more on improving Pakistan's industrialization level, as well as cooperation in science and technology, agriculture and other fields. We also welcome Chinese enterprises in high-tech, solar energy and other fields to invest in Pakistan. I believe that through these in-depth and extensive cooperation, the relationship between our two countries will also become closer.
![The China Pakistan Economic Corridor has achieved fruitful results in the past decade since its launch. Exclusive interview with Pakistani Minister China Pakistan | Project | Achievements](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/92880ad95dc982b2218e125251e8f788.jpg)
Iqbal has also responded to some doubts from the outside world, especially from the West, about the China Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Ahsan Iqbal, Minister of Planning, Development and Special Projects in Pakistan: I believe the criticism of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor is out of jealousy. Because it has brought very positive changes to Pakistan. For example, improving infrastructure, creating a large number of job opportunities, enhancing one's own development capabilities, and there are no debt traps at all. Those jealous critics, because they have nothing to offer, do not want this project to become a witness to the friendship between Pakistan and China. We know that Pakistan and China have always maintained a very special and close relationship. I describe it as always in spring, and we will constantly see new flowers of cooperation. I think this is the beauty of Pakistan China relations.