CM, Chinese team discuss investment

LAHORE

A high-level Chinese delegation led by Chairman of China Three Gorges Corporation Lu Chun met with Punjab Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif. Matters regarding the investment in energy sector in Punjab, especially in small hydel projects and promotion of cooperation, were discussed in the meeting. 

China Three Gorges Corporation expressed willingness to cooperate with Punjab in small hydel projects and assured the CM of a visit by the delegation of experts in the province for this purpose. Talking to the Chinese delegation, the chief minister said China was a sincere and reliable friend of Pakistan. He said new avenues of economic cooperation had opened between China and Pakistan during the tenure of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. He said economic package of 46 billion dollars given by China was an invaluable gift for Pakistan, which reflected a full confidence of the Chinese President in the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and deep love for Pakistani nation. 

Shahbaz Sharif said China Pakistan Economic Corridor was a game changer for the region including Pakistan. He said work had been started speedily on various projects under the CPEC and the people of the whole of country would benefit from these projects. He said the Punjab government had taken effective measures for the completion of the CPEC projects within the stipulated period. He said work was in progress speedily on a 1320-megawatt coal power project in Sahiwal while a 900-megawatt solar project was being set up at the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park Bahawalpur. He said transparency, standard and speedy completion of projects was a hallmark of he Punjab government therefore foreign investors were coming to the province who were being provided facilities on priority basis. He said there was a vast scope for investment in solar and wind, especially small hydel projects in Punjab and China Three Gorges Corporation should consider cooperation with the Punjab government and benefit from the vast opportunities available in energy sector in the province. 

Chairman China Three Gorges Corporation Lu Chun said Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif was working very hard for the implementation of energy projects and his extraordinary abilities and capacity to work speedily was also appreciated in China.

He said China Three Gorges Corporation would cooperate with the Punjab government in energy sector, especially in small hydel projects, and a team of Chinese experts would soon visit Punjab for reviewing the scope of cooperation.

He said his company had a full confidence in Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif who had provided facilities on priorities basis to foreign investors in the province.