Projects for third phase under CPEC discussed

Published November 5, 2020
The second meeting of Joint Work­ing Group on socio-economic development under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor framework on Wednesday decided to prepare projects for the third phase, and the Chinese government was asked to send experts for the implementation of priority projects. — Reuters/File
The second meeting of Joint Work­ing Group on socio-economic development under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor framework on Wednesday decided to prepare projects for the third phase, and the Chinese government was asked to send experts for the implementation of priority projects. — Reuters/File

ISLAMABAD: The second meeting of Joint Work­ing Group on socio-economic development under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor framework on Wednesday decided to prepare projects for the third phase, and the Chinese government was asked to send experts for the implementation of priority projects.

The meeting via video link discussed and reviewed the projects under $1 billion Chinese grant, and expres­sed satisfaction over the pace of progress of projects under the joint working group in key areas of agriculture, education, health, poverty and vocational training.

The joint working group decided to prepare documents for signing as deliverables of the forthcoming 10th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting which will discuss implementation of the second phase of CPEC. The pandemic situation had delayed the holding of JCC meeting.

The fast-track and priority projects specifically reviewed by the working group were agriculture tech­­nology laboratories, provision of equipment and tools and demonstration stations in the agriculture sector, smart classroom project and overseas student scholarship programme in the education sector, Pakistan Vocational Schools Equip­ment and solarisation project in Balochistan in addition to drinking water supply project for AJK and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Moreover, Pak-China Friend­­ship Hospital, Voca­tional Technical School and desalination plant in Gwadar were also discussed, and two sides reiterated to implement these ongoing projects as per the decided timelines.

The meeting was co-chaired by Vice Chairman, China International Deve­lop­­ment and Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), Boqing, Vice Chairman Secretary Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Mathar Niaz Rana.

The Pakistan side appreciated the assistance provided by the Chinese government for socio-economic uplift of the country and also acknowledged the support extended during Covid-19 pandemic; especially the medical equipment and supplies.

The Pakistani delegation emphasised to expedite technical education projects including cooperative project with Pak-Austria Fachhochschule: Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology in KP and Punjab Tianjin University of Technology.

It was also suggested to carry out the Burn Centre projects in all provinces and regions on priority.

Further­more, the Pakistani side also discussed the poverty alleviation research project with Chinese side and desired to learn from Chinese experience in this area.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2020

Follow Dawn Business on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.

Opinion

Revival? For whom?

Revival? For whom?

Numerous sets of numbers, not quoted by govt sources, suggest that things are not as dazzling as claimed by those who run the country.

Editorial

Premature alarm
Updated 20 Feb, 2025

Premature alarm

Improvement in headline inflation gives policymakers chance to fix investment policies, implement structural reforms.
Forsaken province
20 Feb, 2025

Forsaken province

AND the endless cycle of violence continues. The brutal killing on Tuesday night of seven Punjab-bound passengers in...
In poor health
20 Feb, 2025

In poor health

THE absence of decent and affordable healthcare in the country continues to ruin lives. An example of this is ...
Out of control
Updated 19 Feb, 2025

Out of control

AS bodies continue to fall in Kurram despite a state-sanctioned ceasefire, one wonders how long local militants’...
Hollow words
19 Feb, 2025

Hollow words

IT is not uncommon for politicians to resort to the use of hyperbole in order to boost their public standing. ...
Migration matters
19 Feb, 2025

Migration matters

THE grass, it seems, did appear greener on the other side to millions of people as evidenced by the latest UN ...