BEIJING
\nPlanning Minister Ahsan Iqbal highlighted a new phase of cooperation under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at a media interaction session held in Beijing today, stressing that both sides had \u201cformally launched CPEC Phase II.\u201d
\nSpeaking to media after the 14th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting on CPEC held in Beijing, the minister said CPEC Phase II aligns Pakistan\u2019s Five Es Framework with the new direction of the corridor. The framework, which envisions Pakistan\u2019s transformation into a $1 trillion economy by 2035, focuses on exports, equity, environment, energy, and e-governance.
\nThe minister explained that the two countries had agreed to establish five specialized corridors that will shape the initiative\u2019s next decade and beyond. These include a corridor of growth to boost Pakistan\u2019s exports, job creation, and economic expansion; a corridor of livelihoods to target poverty alleviation and socio-economic uplift in underdeveloped areas; a corridor of innovation to shift from brick-and-mortar projects toward enterprise, research, and technology, including the creation of a Pakistan-China \u201cdigital silk route\u201d; a green corridor to prioritize renewable energy, sustainable growth, and climate resilience in the face of repeated floods; and a corridor of open and regional connectivity to expand Pakistan\u2019s transport infrastructure, link it with Afghanistan and Central Asia, and extend the benefits of connectivity beyond the two countries.
\nCalling CPEC Phase II people-centric, the minister placed strong emphasis on youth and education. Pakistan has proposed training 10,000 Ph.D. scholars in China\u2019s top universities in fields such as artificial intelligence, engineering, and emerging sciences over the next decade. By 2047, Pakistan hopes to evolve into a $3 trillion, technology-driven economy. He added that vocational and technical training will be expanded in partnership with Chinese institutions to equip Pakistan\u2019s young workforce with practical, employment-oriented skills, China Economic Net reported.
\nThe minister shared both sides also agreed to establish joint laboratories in artificial intelligence and quantum computing, launch a \u201cFuture Skills Program\u201d covering IT, robotics, fintech, and biotechnology, and pilot climate-smart agriculture projects. Cooperation will further extend to realigning the Karakoram Highway, developing a mineral corridor in Balochistan, and enhancing multi-modal transport links with Central Asia.
\nThe minister stressed that CPEC Phase II will increasingly shift from government-to-government to business-to-business collaboration. Following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif\u2019s visit earlier this month, where $8.5 billion worth of agreements were signed at a Beijing business forum, Pakistan has set up dedicated facilitation desks and eased visa processes to attract Chinese investment.
\nHe reiterated Pakistan\u2019s commitment to the safety of Chinese nationals, calling them guests treated like family. Any security incidents, he said, were the work of foreign-sponsored elements aimed at undermining bilateral cooperation, but Pakistan and China would defeat such designs together.
\nUnderscoring the unique nature of the partnership, the minister remarked that the friendship between Pakistan and China \u201chas never seen an autumn; it has always blossomed like spring.\u201d He stressed that Pakistan\u2019s close ties with China are not at the expense of other partners. \u201cCPEC\u2019s first decade transformed Pakistan\u2019s infrastructure,\u201d the minister concluded. \u201cThe next phase will transform lives \u2013 bringing jobs, innovation, and hope for a more advanced, inclusive economy.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BEIJING Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal highlighted a new phase of cooperation under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at a media interaction session held in Beijing today, stressing that both sides had \u201cformally launched CPEC Phase II.\u201d Speaking to media after the 14th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting on CPEC held in Beijing, the minister said […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":483724,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-505425","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business"},"yoast_head":"\n