Tripartite cooperation conducive to sustainable development of CPEC: CAEXPO
by Shi Yu
NANNING, Sep 13th (Gwadar Pro) – As CPEC has entered the second phase, the new energy cooperation between Pakistan, ASEAN and China will still play an important rule under the frame. “Sustainable development will be an unavoidable important agenda in the triangle cooperation,” Badar uz Zaman, Commercial Counsellor of embassy of Pakistan in China, said to Gwadar Pro during the 18th China ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO).
At the 70th Anniversary of Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and Pakistan & Bilateral Trade/Investment Forum, a sub-activity of the 18th CAEXPO, representatives of Chinese energy enterprises shared their successful experience of participating in CPEC. Ren Hongbin, Vice Minister of Commerce of China, also expressed: "China hopes that Pakistan will make good use of CAEXPO and other platforms to promote sustained growth of bilateral trade and strengthen cooperation in sustainable development. "
After the forum, Badar said in the exclusive interview: “Thanks to the effort of Pakistan and China, we have completed many projects of energy, which is the major sector of CPEC. Sustainable development is an important global issue. Pakistan is also focusing on the products and industries related to new energy including solar, hydro, and wind. In addition to that, we are already working on some industrial products, special economic zones and other projects regarding sustainable development. Therefore, the second phase of CPEC is a new stage in which we are focusing more on the environment and socio-ecology.”
In order to ensure the sustainable development of CPEC and renewable energy growth under the context of COVID-19 pandemic, Pakistan and China have taken numerous measures to ensure the projects go ahead. Ning Jizhe, Director of China's National Bureau of Statistics, also said during CAEXPO that strengthening international cooperation on environmental protection and jointly tackling climate change will be an important precondition for economic recovery and production capacity recovery in the post-COVID-19 era.
Badar said: “We are complying with all the requirements, all the quality, and all the quarantine and systematic requirements of CDC. Thanks to the unremitting efforts of the builders from our two countries, the bilateral trade has been increasing, renewable energy projects have been signed and operated normally, and our productive capacity has been developed to cope with the worldwide public crisis”
He also agreed that the tripartite cooperation between Pakistan, China and ASEAN countries is conducive to sustainable development of CPEC. Badar said: “China has Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with both ASEAN and Pakistan. BRI also provides favorable conditions for the three sides to reach a consensus on low-carbon transformation and renewable energy development.”
（Editor:Liao Yifan）
