Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday said the cooperation envisioned in the industrial sector under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project will ensure the transfer of technology, knowledge, and skills to Pakistan.

“CPEC is helping promote a knowledge-based economy in Pakistan,” the minister said while addressing the seventh meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) of CPEC, held in Islamabad to review and approve various development projects.

Ahsan Iqbal and his Chinese counterpart jointly presided over the meeting.

More than 150 officials from Pakistan and China were in attendance. The chief ministers of all provinces, along with Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, were also present.

Moreover, the private sector was allowed to participate in the meeting for the first time.

Ahsan Iqbal said that the 7th JCC meeting was a milestone towards realising the potential of CPEC and noted that the people of Pakistan valued the multifaceted cooperation extended by the government and people of China to Pakistan.

He said the project was now heading towards completion of its first phase and the JCC meeting was of historical significance in the finalisation of the long-term project.

“The long-term plan will give new dimensions to the bilateral cooperation between China and Pakistan,” he said.

The minister said that the project would expand the scope of co-operation in various new areas, including the social sector, whereas, education and health sectors would also be upgraded.

Talking about Gwadar, Iqbal said that projects in Gwadar were of utmost importance for the people of the area as well as national development.

Cooperation is vital for public to benefit from CPEC

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, during a meeting with a Chinese delegation led by China's Assistant Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou, highlighted the need of an increase in cooperation between the two countries in order to ensure that the people benefit from CPEC.

Abbasi expressed satisfaction that the energy and infrastructure projects under CPEC were progressing smoothly, Radio Pakistan reported.

The matters pertaining to bilateral trade, security and law and order situation in Afghanistan were also discussed during the meeting, the report added.

The Chinese delegation had met Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua in Islamabad for the eighth round of strategic talks between Pakistan and China.