CPEC’s next phase set to deepen jobs

News Desk

Beijing: China has highlighted the economic and employment gains delivered through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), while signalling greater cooperation with Pakistan in agriculture, mining, technology, infrastructure and regional trade.

China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said CPEC has generated substantial employment for Pakistanis and produced tangible results across major sectors since its launch.

According to the NDRC, the initiative has generated around 236,000 jobs overall, including 155,000 for Pakistani workers, while projects covering energy, infrastructure, industry and transportation have continued to expand.

The commission noted that CPEC has also contributed to Pakistan’s electricity supply, with power plants established under the corridor now meeting nearly one-third of the country’s national electricity demand.

Infrastructure development has remained another key component, with several highway projects progressing according to schedule.

China and Pakistan have also continued efforts to develop Gwadar Port as a regional logistics and industrial centre, while the first phase of the Rashakai Special Economic Zone has been completed and attracted businesses.

With CPEC entering a new phase, the NDRC said China intends to strengthen cooperation with Pakistan in agriculture, mining and technology, alongside existing collaboration in energy, transportation, industry and livelihood-related projects.

The corridor is also gaining a wider regional dimension following an agreement by the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan and Afghanistan to extend CPEC cooperation to Afghanistan under the Belt and Road Initiative.

For landlocked Afghanistan, access to Pakistani ports provides an important trade route to international markets. Gwadar has already been used for Afghan imports, including fertiliser.

According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, Gwadar Port secured an e-export trade licence for Afghanistan in the second half of 2019 following consultations with Pakistani authorities. The following year, Afghanistan imported around 43,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser through the port.

China’s latest assessment places greater emphasis on CPEC’s potential to move beyond bilateral infrastructure development and strengthen regional connectivity, trade and economic integration involving Pakistan, China and Afghanistan.