Pledge to expedite Gwadar, ML-1 projects lauded

Chinese diplomat highlights achievements from Belt and Road Forum

LAHORE:

Chinese Consul General Zhao Shiren has lauded the recent 3rd Belt and Road Forum for injecting fresh momentum into the high-quality collaboration between Pakistan and China through a mutual commitment to expedite the Gwadar Port development and the ML-1 railway line upgradation.

Addressing a seminar organised by the Institute of International Relations and Media Research (IIRMR) on Sunday, he highlighted key achievements from the forum, including the signing of 20 agreements and MoUs encompassing Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation, infrastructure, mining, industry, green and low-carbon development, health, space cooperation, digital development and agricultural exports to China.

The diplomat outlined significant outcomes from the forum, including the establishment of the Beijing Initiative for Deepening Cooperation on Connectivity, Belt and Road Green Development, International Digital Economy Cooperation, the Green Investment and Finance Partnership and High-Level Principles on Corruption-free Belt and Road Building.

Also read: Gwadar Port poised for transit hub: Domki

The outcomes also include targets such as providing 100,000 training opportunities on green development for partner countries by 2030 and increasing the number of joint laboratories to 100.

Commercial agreements worth $97.2 billion were finalised during the BRF CEO Conference, anticipated to generate employment and foster growth within the Belt and Road Initiative countries.

The forum also decided to establish a BRF secretariat to facilitate institution-building and project implementation.

Caretaker Punjab Minister SM Tanveer invited Chinese companies to invest in new industries and technologies in the province, emphasising potential areas of cooperation such as agriculture parks, farming techniques and the food processing industry.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 30^th, 2023.