BEIJING, Feb. 10 (China Economic Net) – "Happy Chinese New year, greetings to you, to your family for your health and success," said Pakistani ambassador to China Moin ul Haque with the Spring Festival approaching. "This year is a special year for China and Pakistan. I hope that this year can mark a new chapter in our relationship, a glorious chapter," he said.

 

According to Moin ul Haque, the two governments are planning more than a hundred activities to commemorate these 70 years. There are multiple events: exchanges of high-level delegations, cultural exhibitions, photographic exhibitions, fashion events, publication of books. "We are also planning to twin a number of cities between China and Pakistan to add to what we already have, and then the webinars of trade and investment."

 

Moin ul Haque told us that the embassy is also working on many interesting ideas. "We hope can set up a Pakistani special area in the World Park in Beijing. We could name some of the streets in China as well as in Pakistan in the name of a Pakistani or Chinese leader or city." 

 

Pakistan National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and Chairman of the Chinese National Peoples Congress Li Zhanshu recently have agreed on the formation of a joint parliamentary committee for CPEC. For the next stage of development of CPEC, Moin ul Haque also shared his opinion. "Along the corridor, we are going to set 9 special economic zones. The government is providing potential incentives, like tax rebates not only to developers but also to the companies which are going to set up their factories there. There is also a very special zone in the Gwadar port. There are 30 to 40 Chinese companies which have shown interest to set up their businesses there."

 

Moin ul Haque believes that the third party's participation can also be an important role in the next stage of CPEC development. "CPEC started as a China-Pakistan bilateral project, but it has always meant to be an inclusive initiator. Because it talks about economic integration, regional connectivity," said Moin ul Haque, he also mentioned that on the Second Meeting of the CPEC Joint Working Group on International Cooperation and Coordination held in Urumqi, China, the two countries had agreed that CPEC welcome third party's participation.

 

"CPEC not only linked China and Pakistan, but also spread prosperity in the region. Recently, Afghanistan goods were transported to the Gwadar port and went to Pakistan. So we would like central Asian states also to take advantage of this route, it's very convenient, easy and the shortest route to the Arabian countries," he said.