Beijing assures socio-economic development in Balochistan

Envoy says skills programme in province soon

QUETTA: Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing has said that Beijing will launch five to 10 zones in Balochistan for socio-economic uplift.

Addressing a meeting with a delegation of the Balochistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) on Wednesday, the ambassador announced that China was ready to launch skills development programmes in the province to end poverty.

“We seek to strengthen the relations between the business communities of the two countries,” he said.



Ambassador Jing said that Chinese investors were ready to invest in Balochistan’s agriculture, mineral and energy sectors. He said that the province had huge reserves of natural resources.

“The Chinese government is willing to install mineral processing plant in Balochistan,” he said, adding that the Chinese government was ready to assist Pakistan in technical and economic fields.

“We are glad that the new central and provincial government have a strong vision for country’s development,” he added.

Ambassador Yao said that chamber of commerce had an important role in the country’s economy.

With regard to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said that the Chinese government wanted to promote local manufacturing industry in the province. He added that Beijing would assist and cooperate with the local business community over their concerns regarding CPEC.



Senior Vice President Balochistan Chamber of Commerce Salahuddin Khilji, Vice President Yaseen Raisani and other members welcomed the ambassador and investors.

Speaking on the occasion, Khilji said that the Balochistan, the largest province of the country in terms of land, is the pivot of CPEC.

“The province is called the gateway to central Asia as it shares borders with Iran and Afghanistan,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 11^th, 2018.