By Zafar Hussain

BEIJING, Aug. 5 (China Economic Net) - Pakistan’s Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary, declared that China-Pakistan bilateral ties have “soared beyond the skies” following the successful joint launch of the fourth Earth Observation Satellite. He addressed a press conference at the Pakistani Embassy in Beijing on August 4, outlining major developments in China-Pakistan cooperation across infrastructure, economy, technology, and strategic planning.

The minister’s visit also focused on preparations for Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s upcoming visit to China for the SCO Summit in September, and the anticipated 14th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting. Iqbal met with top Chinese officials, including the new chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), to expand the scope of socio-economic projects benefiting underprivileged communities and students from remote areas of Pakistan.

Highlighting the transition of CPEC into its second phase, Iqbal stressed a shift toward business-to-business cooperation, industrialization, agricultural modernization, and high-tech training. “Over 8,000 MW of energy, modern highways, and an optical fiber corridor were achievements of the first phase. Now, we are equipping our youth and farmers with modern skills and technologies,” he said, citing the ongoing training of Pakistani agriculture experts in China.

Iqbal reaffirmed efforts to boost exports in textiles, sports goods, surgical instruments, and more. He also confirmed enhanced cooperation in peaceful nuclear technologies and space exploration, with plans to send Pakistan’s first astronaut into orbit by 2026 and eventual participation in a lunar mission by 2035.