Punjab

China to set up body to monitor Pak projects

Shahbaz Sharif meets Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli and Chinese bank president.

Our Correspondent August 26, 2015

Shahbaz Sharif meets Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli and Chinese bank president. PHOTO: INP

LAHORE: Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli on Tuesday expressed willingness to set up a high-level committee for the supervision of development projects underway in Pakistan with Chinese investment. He was talking to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif at the Great Hall of the People, Beijing.

Gaoli said that he would personally monitor the projects. He said the proposed committee would include senior officials of financial institutions and various Chinese government departments.

He said that development projects were underway in several countries with Chinese cooperation. “However, China’s cooperation with Pakistan is unprecedented. China is extending full cooperation to Pakistan in energy, transport, infrastructure and health sectors. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will link Pakistan to economies of China and 60 other countries,” the Chinese deputy PM said.

Sharif said that the government and people of Pakistan would come up to the expectations of the Chinese leadership with regard to the implementation of the economic package. “The recent visit of the Chinese president to Pakistan has taken Pakistan-China friendship to new heights,” he said.

Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Masood Khalid, Prime Minister’s Special Representative Zafar Mehmood, Adviser to CM on Health Khawaja Salman Rafiq and Lahore Transport Company Chairman Khawaja Ahmad Hassaan were also present on the occasion.

The chief minister also held a meeting with the Exim Bank of China President Li Ruogu. It was agreed that funds be expeditiously provided to the Chinese companies investing in Pakistan. The chief minister expressed the confidence that there would be no shortage of resources for Chinese investors. “No compromise will be made on the standard, transparency and speedy completion of the projects. Work is being speedily completed on the coal-based power projects being set up in Sahiwal with the cooperation of China,” he said.

Iqbal said that the special development package for Pakistan reflected Chinese government’s confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

Earlier, a delegation of Shandong province of China, led by its Deputy Governor Xia Zing, met Shahbaz Sharif in Beijing and offered to declare Shandong and the Punjab twin provinces.

Talking to the deputy governor, Shahbaz Sharif said that people of the Punjab could learn a lot from Shandong’s development experience.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 26^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (2)

Ibrar | 8 years ago | Reply It is good thing for countries to have some mechanism in place to ensure their investment does not get messed up by local corrupt practices. Good for both countries as it would attract more investment. China-Pak trade relations are meant to be long term and must progress flawlessly.

Hoho | 8 years ago | Reply It seems like Sahb wants to control and oversee the use of his money. Don't trust his underlings to be honest or effective.

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