CPEC energy projects: China highlights four points

ISLAMABAD: China and Pakistan have maintained long-term special friendly relations, and enjoyed mutual respect, equal treatment and high level of mutual trust. China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the pilot project of Belt and Road Initiative, to which both leaders attached great importance to and rendered firm support. These views were expressed by Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing in his message on CPEC and energy projects, says a press release on Sunday. He said that owing to the joint efforts of both side, CPEC has made remarkable progress since its initiation.

He said energy is one of four key areas and most fast-moving area of CPEC cooperation. He said our success could be boiled down to four points:

Firstly, we take it as a priority upon request by Pakistan. Energy lays important material foundations for the economic and social development of a nation. Before CPEC, Pakistan was deeply bothered by severe problems of loadshedding. So both sides agreed to build 19 energy projects, with 11000MW energy will be taken into the national grid of Pakistan. By now, 6 energy projects with totally 3,720MW have been installed, which already provide sustainable, cheap and clean energy for 110,000 Pakistani, meaning that 1 out of 2,000 Pakistani are benefiting from CPEC energy cooperation.

Among them, Sahiwal Power Plant was built in only 22 month which is recognised as “Speed of Pakistan”. We also build power transmission and distribution lines like Matiari-Faisalabad-Lahore Transmission Line to bring power generated into national grid.

Secondly, we carry out our cooperation according to local conditions. We tap the potential of hydro-power, coal, wind, solar energy to make best us of the local resources in Pakistan. For example, till now 3 wind power projects, 2 coal-based projects and 1 solar projects have been inaugurated which makes the Pakistani energy structure more balanced.

The coal reserves of Pakistan ranks 7th in the world. The using of local energy resource helps Pakistan to tap on its own resources instead of importing fossil raw materials which will highly improve the balance between imports and exports.

Thirdly, environment friendly is always our top priority in cooperation. Coal fired power plant is the most efficient way to catch up energy demand gap in a short time. All coal fired plants under CPEC have been required of the most strict emission standards. Projects such as Port Qasim, Hubco, Thar are using world standard new equipment instead of second-hand equipment, which enable the using of super-critical and desulfurisation technologies to maximise coal utilisation efficiency and minimise the emission and damage to local environment. Fourthly, energy projects are based on commercial loans by the Chinese companies, which will not put heavy financial burdens on Pakistan’s economy. As good gestures and to speed up the construction, some projects were constructed before the financial closure was reached, which means the Chinese companies use their own money to construct. The Chinese companies also take themselves as part of local community. They provide thousands of jobs for local people. They send local engineers to Chinese universities for training. They also donate books, send medicines, dig wells for the locals.

The Chinese ambassador said 2018 is the 5th anniversary of Belt and Road Initiative. The Chinese side looks forward to working together with people from all walks of life in Pakistan to take the opportunity of CPEC, achieving the comprehensive communication, close cooperation, benefit-sharing and win-win results in all fields between our two countries, and build the China-Pakistan community of share future together.