Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zedong has lauded Pakistan’s achievements in counter-terrorism and economic recovery, revealing that 90% of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects have been completed.
He also proposed linking China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with Pakistan’s ‘Uraan Pakistan’ program to expand regional benefits. He added that the Pakistani people supported cooperation under CPEC.
Economic progress and counter-terrorism cooperation
Speaking at a CPEC seminar in Islamabad, Jiang said Pakistan’s economy had improved significantly, with growth reaching 2.6%. He praised the strong cooperation between Pakistan and China in combating terrorism, expressing confidence that security challenges facing CPEC would be resolved over time.
“The fruits of CPEC can spread throughout the region,” the ambassador said, quoting Chinese President Xi Jinping’s vision that the corridor will help develop not only China but the entire region.
Linking BRI with Pakistan’s development goals
Jiang stressed the need to deepen mutual cooperation to overcome existing challenges. He suggested integrating the Belt and Road Initiative with Pakistan’s Uraan program to enhance connectivity, trade, and investment opportunities.
Pakistan’s vision for CPEC
Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar, addressing the seminar, said CPEC was more than just a corridor — it was “a sharing of dreams and hopes” between the two nations. He said the project had generated jobs, boosted agriculture, industry, and trade, and created opportunities from Khunjerab to Gwadar.
“Pakistan-China friendship has stood the test of time and has been passed down from generation to generation,” he stressed.
Tarar added that Gwadar Port was being developed to international standards to attract investors and traders, with the government aiming to make it Pakistan’s most modern and secure city.
He called CPEC a “guarantor of development, employment, security, and prosperity” for the region, highlighting its role in strengthening decades-long Pak-China ties.
