BEIJING: Chairman of China Apollo Holding Group Chen Diming and senior representative of China Ocean Engineering Construction Company Xu Hao called on Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal in Beijing, Pakistan’s official news agency reported.
The minister appreciated the companies’ longstanding partnership with Pakistan and their interest in solar power sector in Pakistan.
He underscored the importance of energy projects which have enabled Pakistan to overcome its energy shortages and urged them to invest in solar power generation and establishment of solar manufacturing plants in Pakistan to achieve better efficiency and wider distribution of cheaper electricity.
Ahsan Iqbal also briefed the Chinese companies on the prime minister’s ‘solar energy initiative’ for which foreign investors were offered special incentives.
The minister invited the Chinese companies to benefit from this new policy. He also urged them to set up their regional engineering design centres in Pakistan and employ local talented and skilled professionals.
The minister assured the government’s full support and facilitation to the Chinese companies.
Ahsan Iqbal also received ZTE Corporation Vice President Lin Xiaodong for a meeting. The company has established its offices, software centres, factories, training centres and customer service centres in different cities in Pakistan.
The minister acknowledged the importance of these projects which have enabled Pakistan to gain from the company’s experience and technology, both in hardware and software, which will add value to Pakistan’s IT sector’s development.
Meanwhile, Professor Ahsan Iqbal said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a landmark project in the development history of Pakistan-China relations which will bring prosperity and socio-economic uplift to the people of Pakistan and also contribute to the regional connectivity and development.
He made these remarks during a meeting with China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) Chairman Luo Zhaohui.
He was accompanied by Chief Economist Planning Division Dr Muhammad Nadeem Javaid and senior officials of the embassy.
Paying rich tribute to the leadership of the two countries for providing strategic guidance to the development of CPEC, the minister highlighted key projects that have been completed since the launch of CPEC a decade ago.
During the meeting, the minister conveyed best wishes and congratulations of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to chairman CIDCA on the successful holding of the ‘First High-Level Conference of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development’.
The minister appreciated the strong partnership between Planning Division and CIDCA on socio-economic development projects in different areas including agriculture, health, education, vocational education, water supply, and poverty alleviation under the CPEC framework.
He especially commended CIDCA’s strong support for development projects in Gwadar.
Commending the Global Development Initiative (GDI) of President Xi Jinping which Pakistan has joined as the first partner country, the minister expressed hope that the two sides will further strengthen bilateral cooperation in priority areas under this historic framework.
Chairman Luo appreciated the contributions of the minister to the advancement of CPEC and assured him of CIDCA’s long-term commitment to the high-quality development of CPEC.
He also welcomed the minister’s proposal of setting-up expert groups on enhancing Pakistan’s export potential and development of special economic zones and industrial parks on the basis of the Chinese experience.
