CPEC’s new phase to ensure technology transfer: Ahsan

ISLAMABAD: Minster for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday said cooperation in industrial sector under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would ensure transfer of technology, knowledge and skills to Pakistan.

"CPEC is also helping promote knowledge-based economy in Pakistan, which is a need of the new age," the minister said while addressing the 7th meeting of Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) on CPEC. The meeting was called to review and approve various development projects under CPEC.

Ahsan Iqbal and his Chinese counterpart jointly presided over the meeting. Around 150 high officials from Pakistan and China attended the meeting, along with chief ministers of all the provinces and Azad Jammu and Kashmir prime minister.

The representatives of private sector, including trade and industry chambers, also participated in the meeting for the first time. The minister said the 7th JCC in Pakistan was a milestone towards realising CPEC and noted that people of Pakistan valued the multifaceted cooperation extended by the government and people of China to Pakistan.

He said CPEC had now entered the first phase of its completion and 7th JCC was of historical significance to finalise the long-term plan of project. “The long-term plan will give new dimensions to bilateral cooperation between China and Pakistan,” he added.

Ahsan Iqbal said that long-term plan would expand the scope of cooperation in various new areas including cooperation in social sectors along with the economic fields. Along with infrastructure development and upgradation, education and health sectors would also be targeted for their improvement and upgradation under CPEC, he assured.

The minister said private sector had been given representation in the 7th JCC meeting to take it on board. He said the two countries would organise exchange of trade and business delegations on official level to speed up the pace of project.

Speaking about Gwadar, gateway of CPEC, Ahsan said projects at Gwadar were of utmost importance for the people of area and national development. He said that CPEC’s energy projects were fast nearing completion. The establishment of special economic zones would now start after 7th JCC, which is the hallmark of this project.