Chinese Embassy holds annual event to award outstanding Pakistani staff of CPEC projects
Staff Writer
Islamabad: The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan this week organised a well-attended annual event to award the outstanding Pakistani staff of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Projects 2022 in recognition of their services.
During the ceremony, the representatives of the Pakistani staff from three projects – Mr. Mir Arslan Ali, from Matiari to Lahore ±660kV HVDC Transmission Line Project, Ms. Shakeela Kosar, from Metro train Orange Line Project Lahore, Muhammad Hamza Khalid from Sahiwal power plant – delivered their speeches.
Ahsan Iqbal (Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives), Ambassador Nong Rong, Pan Jiang (Deputy DG, National Development and Reform Commission of China),.Ying Minghao (Deputy CEO, Council Member of APCEA) spoke on the occasion.
Representatives of CPEC companies, Pakistan’s think tanks, and media circles attended the event.
In his speech, Pan Jiang, Deputy DG, National Development and Reform Commission of China, conveyed congratulations to “our outstanding staffs on behalf of NDRC Chairman Mr. He Lifeng, CPEC Chairman and NDRC vice chairman Mr. Lin Nianqiu.”
He recalled that on November 2nd, 2022, President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Sharif.
“President Xi noted that China and Pakistan are good friends, good partners and good brothers. Amid global changes and instability in recent years, the two countries have supported each other and forged ahead, demonstrating an iron-clad friendship,” he added.
China, he maintained, “views its relations with Pakistan from a strategic and long-term perspective and Pakistan has always been a high priority in China’s neighborhood diplomacy. China is ready to work with Pakistan to elevate the level of all-round strategic cooperation, speed up efforts to build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, and inject new impetus into our all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.”
The envoy said the two sides will make full use of the Joint Cooperation Committee of CPEC, advance CPEC with greater efficiency, and make CPEC an exemplar of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.
“This gives us a clear guidance for future cooperation. We started CPEC in 2013. After almost 10 years of efforts from both sides, we have made so many breakthroughs in various areas. We followed the principle of “extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits,” he mentioned.
This October, Pan Jiang said, “we just held the 11th Joint Cooperation Committee Meeting of CPEC and reached new consensus for our future cooperation. Together, we have seen how CPEC evolves in recent years.”
He underlined: “We have seen a steady development of Gwadar Port, we have seen a stable operation of our energy projects, we have seen a positive promotion of transportation and infrastucture cooperation, we have seen a clear boost in our industry cooperation, we also have seen a deepening collaborations in agriculture, science and information technology. We genuinely helped each other in socio-economic sector and made co-efforts to provide a safer environment for CPEC construction. With all those achievements, we can tell the world that our friendship is unbreakable, our cooperation under B&R Initiative is full of vitality and potential.”
The envoy highlighted that he was moved by the touching and vivid stories of CPEC staffs.
“It is your contribution, creativity, and devotion that makes CPEC come so far today. You are the most beautiful contributors and influncers of CPEC construction. Your spirit of hard-working, innovation, and contribution not only represents the brave and industrious people of our two nations, but also demonstrates the strive and hope for a better life of our people. Heartfelt thanks and deep repect for your contribution and devotion. Hope you could contribute more to tightening our friendship,” he added.
Next, he emphasized, “we will follow the consensus of two state leaders, collaborate with the guidance of 11th JCC meeting, make more efforts with the focus on Gwadar Port, Energy, Infrastructure and Industrial Cooperation construction. CPEC will be an exemplar project of B&R high-quality development. And a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era will be achieved soon.”
CPEC is a pilot project of the Belt and Road Initiative and a demonstration project of China-Pakistan cooperation.
During Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to China this year, leaders of the two countries agreed to advance CPEC with greater efficiency, and make CPEC an exemplar of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.
The strong momentum of development of the CPEC has supported Pakistan’s economic stability, and well-being of the people.
The achievements of the CPEC are made through our joint efforts. All Pakistani staff at CPEC projects, through their hard work, make these progress possible.
Lauding the performance of the CPEC staffs, Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong said that the achievements of the CPEC were not possible without joint efforts of staffs from both China and Pakistan.
He hoped that the Chinese and Pakistani staff will cherish the opportunity, contribute to the construction of the CPEC with practical actions, and continue to consolidate the iron friendship between China and Pakistan.
In his address, Federal Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan should learn from China for economic and technological development.
To ensure economic development, the country should have a peaceful environment, he said, adding “we must first ensure political stability, continuity of policies, and social solidarity because economic development does not take place in an atmosphere of conflict and polarization.
He remarked that everyone thought that CPEC is an impossible mission. But people on the ground made it possible, which is remarkable.
Highlighting the friendship bond between Pakistan and China, the minister contended that the changes in world affairs have also brought changes in relationships. World orders bring countries together and the world order changes. The countries’ friendships also drift apart.
He said that the Pakistan and China friendship had defined all rules of international affairs and diplomacy.
“There are no two countries that have phrases like iron brothers, he added. All these phrases describe the depth and strength of Pakistan-China friendship and brotherhood,” he stated.
The minister reminded that Pakistan and China were historically very close in political relations, security cooperation, and other fields except for economic cooperation.
However, he recalled that in 2013 when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited China after resuming office, the economic MoUs of $46 billion were signed between China and Pakistan to start work on the CPEC project.
The minister said that as a result of CPEC Pakistan overcome an electricity shortfall and communication infrastructure was improved.
He underscored that the purpose of CPEC was not to advance China’s business interests.
“The purpose of CPEC is to help Pakistan which was a close strategic partner, to improve its economy and bring Pakistan’s economy from an agricultural structure into an industrial structure,” Iqbal said.
