Pakistan Reader# 400, 15 November 2022
Bhoomika Sesharaj
On 13 November, Chinese Consul General Zhao Shiren said that four more corridors are being added to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This comes as both China and Pakistan have agreed to the addition during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to China. He said that the corridors would be under digital, industrial, green and health spectrums, and would “benefit” both countries. The diplomat also held both countries responsible for the “slowed down” pace of work of CPEC and said that if Pakistan could be in the “driving seat”, they would take ownership of the project. Officials from Pakistan welcomed the move, appreciating China’s relief support of USD 30 billion as imperative. The aid is the largest contribution made by any country and adds value to various sectors of the economy.
Sectors including that agriculture, stressed the transfer of technology for major crops like cotton, wheat, and maize, to promote the yield and reduce the cost of production of the crops. This mechanism can be followed if the wide agricultural gap between China and Pakistan is met with better business-to-business cooperation. Authorities in the agriculture sector stressed local farm productivity and the facilitation of resources as well. Other agencies promoted the CPEC projects, saying that the involvement of civil society would bolster the corridor’s plan of action and that China and Pakistan’s sustained relations will lead to stability in their surrounding regions. Whilst showing encouragement to the CPEC’s viability, other agencies of the country criticised the previous government’s “lack of commitment” to the project and said that the future prospect of the corridor is unpredictable, amid the retirement of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), and the political instability that surrounds the country. (Amjad Mahmood, “Four corridors being added to CPEC, says Chinese diplomat,” Dawn, 14 November 2022)
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