CPEC helps to build an enabling economic environment in Pakistan: Dr Mehmood.

ISLAMABAD -- Executive Director, Center for South Asia and International Studies (CSAIS) Islamabad, Dr Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan on Thursday said the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) had helped build an enabling economic environment in Pakistan as energy, education and the economy being among its key pillars.

China had invested US$25.4 billion in direct projects in Pakistan, creating 236,000 jobs, generating 8,000 megawatts of electricity, and building 510 kilometers of highways and 886 km of the national electricity grid, said a press release issued here.

Also, about 28,000 Pakistani students were studying in China and more than 20,000 Pakistanis were learning Chinese, he said.

Dr Mehmood said that all prominent national experts were of the view that CPEC was a blessing and guarantor of our future socio-economic prosperity and eradication of poverty.

Meanwhile, talking on the 3rd Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Forum, he said that during his keynote speech, the Chinese president Xi covered all aspects of BRI's past achievements, present status and future priorities.

It was constructive, positive, and productive, giving the message of hope of a brighter future through international cooperation, economic globalization, openness, inclusiveness, modernization and qualitative industrialization in all the member countries and rest of the world, he said.

It clearly explained the important experience in achieving the success of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and proposes China's support. It was a clear demonstration of the Chinese Geo-Economics, he said.

Moreover, the speech was highly constructive, positive and effective.

He said President Xi's pledged that the China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China would each set up CNY 350 billion financing windows, and the Silk Road Fund would add CNY 80 billion in funds to support Belt and Road projects through market-oriented and commercial methods.

Thus President Xi initiated a grand financial integration for the member countries of the BRI.

Fortunately, during BRF CEO Forum agreements reached on 97.2 billion US dollars of project cooperation through the Entrepreneur Conference. China will also implement 1,000 small livelihood assistance projects, promote vocational education cooperation between China and foreign countries, and strengthen security guarantees for Belt and Road projects and personnel which is good omen for the development of SMEs in the member countries.

Talking on...