Islamabad, September 28, 2023 (PPI-OT): Recent news articles have claimed that China does not want to expand the scope of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). These claims are factually incorrect and misleading.

China and Pakistan are committed to expanding the scope of CPEC to include new areas of cooperation, such as water resources management, climate change, and tourism. These areas were already part of the CPEC Long Term Plan, and both sides agreed during the deliberations before the 11th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) to work out the detailed contours of these projects in upcoming sessions of respective Joint Working Groups (JWGs).

The JWGs are technical bodies comprising experts from both sides, who are responsible for conceiving and evaluating project proposals in their respective areas. This is a standard procedure for CPEC projects, and it ensures that all proposals are carefully considered and that they meet the goals and objectives of the CPEC Long Term Plan.

CPEC projects have already been implemented and are ongoing in Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and the coastal areas. More projects are planned in these areas in the future.

China and Pakistan have a time-tested friendship, and CPEC has greatly enhanced Pakistan’s energy, logistical, and physical infrastructure capabilities. The benefits of CPEC are widely distributed throughout Pakistan. Both sides are fully resolved to now harness the investments in infrastructure for economic growth, particularly in export-oriented industries, agriculture productivity, and natural resource management, all while enhancing partnership in addressing the concerns of climate change and sustainable development.

For more information, contact:

Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives

“P” Block, Pakistan Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan

Tel: +92-51-9209442

Fax: +92-51-9201777

Email: webmanager@pc.gov.pk

Website: https://www.pc.gov.pk/