ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives on Monday highlighted salient features of six Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed by Pakistan and China to enhance bilateral cooperation and promote strong economic ties.
The MoUs were signed during a ceremony held here at the Prime Minister Office, which was witnessed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng, who is on a three-day visit to Pakistan to mark 10-year celebrations of the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The members of the Federal Cabinet and senior officials, besides the high-level Chinese delegation accompanying the Chinese vice premier, were also present in the ceremony, a Planning Ministry news release said.
It is noted that since the incumbent government came into power in April 2022, the CPEC projects had been revived which remained neglected in the past.
During the signing ceremony, the minutes of the 11th Meeting of Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) on CPEC were also signed. “This document comprised the decisions and outcomes of the 11th meeting of the JCC on CPEC held on October 27, 2022.”
It was signed by Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China Cong Liang and Federal Mistier for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal.
The other MoU pertained to establishing an Expert Exchange Mechanism within the Framework of the CPEC. It aimed to setting up an expert exchange mechanism between the Ministry of Planning, Development of Special Initiatives, and NDRC of China, to facilitate knowledge sharing between them.
The objective of the MoU, also signed by NDRC Vice Chairman Cong Liang and Planning Minister Professor Ahsan Iqbal, was to obtain intellectual support and consultation for China-Pakistan capacity-building cooperation and conduct in-depth exchanges of Chinese experts with the Pakistani Government and enterprises by sharing China’s experience, contributing Chinese solutions and helping Pakistan meet international standards more timely and efficiently.
The MoU on Protocol of Phytosanitary Requirements for Export of Dried Chilies from Pakistan to China was also signed. It outlined the phytosanitary requirements for the export of dried chilies from Pakistan to China.
The signatories for this protocol were Chinese Charge Chargé d’ Affaires to Pakistan Pang Chunxue, on behalf of the General Administration of Customs of China, and Secretary Ministry of National Food Security & Research of Pakistan Zafar Hasan.
Similarly, the MoU on the Acknowledgement of Receipt of Realignment of KKH Phase-II (Thakot-Raikot) Project Feasibility Study Final Report was also signed by Chinese Chargé d’Affaires to Pakistan Pang Chunxue, on behalf of the Ministry of Transport of China, and Member Planning, National Highway Authority, Ministry of Communications of Pakistan, Asim Ameen.
This document acknowledged the receipt of the final report on the feasibility study for the realignment of the KKH Phase-II (Thakot-Raikot) Project.
The MoU on “Strengthening Workers’ Exchange Programme was signed between the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) and the Board of Investment, Pakistan under the ambit of CPEC Industrial Cooperation to foster exchange programmers of the workforce associated with CPEC projects for skill development, technical training, language courses, and Chinese experience sharing in SEZs development by providing a platform to augment meaningful people-to-people exchanges.
The MoU would be instrumental in strengthening the Pak-China Industrial Cooperation and the development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) through Chinese intellectual support. It would further enhance the competitiveness of CPEC’s workforce to meet the local industrial requirements and also supported the requirements of skilled labor to attract Chinese industrial relocation envisaged through CPEC Industrial Cooperation.
Furthermore, the Agreement on the Announcement of the Minutes of the 21st Conference of Technical Committees on Promoting the (ML-1) Project was also signed. The ML-1 project, a crucial element of the CPEC, held the promise of transforming Pakistan’s transportation system. Both Pakistan and China had made noteworthy strides in preliminary technical work.
In the agreement, both sides resolved to push forward the strategic ML1 initiative. By focusing on cost-efficiency, justified capital outlays, and maximized economic returns, the ML-1 project would unfold in a systematic and phased approach.
