CPEC beneficial for Pakistan, China: Chinese envoy

PESHAWAR: Ambassador of China to Pakistan Yao Jing here Tuesday brushed aside certain negative perceptions about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and said the project was beneficial for both the countries and would help bring economic stability to Pakistan.

Delivering a talk during his visit to the Area Study Centre for Russia, China and Central Asia, University of Peshawar, he said China wanted regional connectivity and economic prosperity in the region and for the purpose it has initiated six economic corridors among which CPEC is the only bilateral project.

The event was also attended by former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) head Lt General (R) Asad Durrani, former vice-chancellor University of Peshawar Prof Dr Azmat Hayat Khan, former ambassador to Afghanistan, Rustam Shah Mohmand, defence analysts Brig (R) Mahmood Shah and Brig (R) Saad, pro-vice-chancellor University of Peshawar Prof Dr Mohammad Abid and others.

Ambassador Yao Jing said that CPEC was an important initiative between Pakistan and China, “but it is not the whole” as the Pak-China relationship was much bigger and diversified.

“We have a history of good relations. China and Pakistan are enjoying good military cooperation, social and cultural relationship and supporting each other at international forums,” he said.

Dismissing the impression that China had hegemonic or political designs under the garb of CPEC, the Chinese ambassador said that it was purely an economic project and Pakistan has joined it in accordance with its own national strategy.

He pointed out that Pakistan wanted economic stability and China was ready to help it and CPEC would play a vital role in it. He said that CPEC was initiated in 2013 but the new government in Pakistan after the 2018 general election was more interested in investment in private sector and promotion of cooperation in social sector.

“Now more attention is being focused on investment and development of the less developed provinces like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan,” he added.

About the misgivings that China would make more benefits from the Gwadar Port and more people from China were being employed in the project, the Chinese ambassador said that Gwadar Port was started in 2002 and completed in 2004 and its management was given to a Singapore firm but the port could be made functional and commercially viable in seven long years.

He said that in 2011 the Pakistan government asked China to take over its management. He said currently Gwadar Port was a losing project, but soon it would become beneficial for both the countries as joint ventures were being launched there.

About employment, he said that so far 70,000 people from Pakistan have been employed in the CPEC related projects while the number of Chinese employees was less than 10,000.

He said that Pakistan enthusiastically wanted the Middle East countries to make investment in Gwadar and China too would welcome it.

For regional cooperation, the Chinese ambassador said that peace and stability in Afghanistan carried immense importance.

He said that China would welcome every initiative for peace in Afghanistan.

“A consensus settlement between the Afghan government and Taliban will have positive impact on the development of Afghanistan, the region and regional integration,” he said.

He urged the regional stakeholders to set aside their differences and play a positive role for peace in Afghanistan.

Earlier, Prof Dr Shabbir Ahmad Khan, Director Area Study Centre welcomed the Chinese ambassador.

The ambassador also delivered a lecture at the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Peshawar and answered questions. He also visited the central library of the university where the vice-chancellor received him.

Later, he was the guest at a cake-cutting ceremony at the Speaker House to herald the Chinese spring festival. It was organized by the Pakistan-China Friendship Association, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The function was hosted by Speaker, KP Assembly, Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani.