As the flagship and pilot project of the BRI, the CPEC construction has made significant progress in the past five years, making significant contributions to Pakistan's economic and social development, enriching and consolidating the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, and building a China-Pakistan community with a shared future.
By organizing experts, scholars, government officials and business elites at home and abroad, RDI has successively completed a series of research reports on CPEC, focusing on the analysis of important issues such as the early progress, problems and risks, value and significance of the CPEC construction under the BRI framework, and thereby proposing relevant policy suggestions on specific strategic governance, operation and implementation, resource mobilization, cultural cooperation and balanced development. In order to promote the sustainable development of the CPEC, the RDI delegation, led by Baige ZHAO, visited Pakistan from June 19th to 22nd, 2019 to exchange views with the Senate of Pakistan on the in-depth CPEC cooperation and organize the 2019 China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Forum.
Baige ZHAO with Senators of Pakistan
On June 19th, the RDI delegation, at the invitation of Saleem MANDVIWALA, Vice Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan and Mushahid Hussain SYED, Senator and Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate of Pakistan and Chairman of Pakistan-China Institute, visited the Senate of Pakistan. Based on the real needs of Pakistan's social and economic development, Baige ZHAO guided the delegates of China and Pakistan in discussing issues at macro-economic level such as economy stabilization, improvement of scientific and technological innovation capability, strengthening of government capacity-building, promotion of think-tank cooperation, realization of regional cooperation and industrial connection, and employment expansion, so as to promote China-Pakistan cooperation in specific areas such as agriculture, fishery, tourism, vocational education, medical care and water conservancy. Delegates of China and Pakistan exchanged views in a relaxing and pleasant atmosphere, and put forward constructive proposals on jointly building a China-Pakistan community with a shared future, thereby providing driving force and support for actively promoting friendly exchanges between China and Pakistan and assisting Pakistan in its economic development.
On June 19th, the RDI platform enterprise delegation conducted a field investigation on Pakistan's agriculture before the opening of the Forum to learn about its development status. Moreover, the delegation had an in-depth exchange of views with the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council and the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad to actively explore the cooperation space. The two sides explored and researched the multi-chain circular planting and breeding mode covering such crops as cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, mango, and potatoes planted and growing in most of Pakistan's fields, as well as cattle and sheep, ponds, lakes, mountains, hills and forests with regard to optimizing the combination of artificial production systems for terrestrial biota, amphibians, aquatic organisms, multi-dimensional space organisms and the environment. Moreover, they reached a consensus on solving a series of problems in the agricultural front end by virtue of the new agricultural planting and breeding mode, establishing a matched intelligent agricultural park for deep processing and creating a full-chain end-to-end compound ecological industrial system.
RDI delegation with members of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council
On the afternoon of June 20th, Imran KHAN, Prime Minister of Pakistan, met with Baige ZHAO and the RDI platform enterprise delegation at the Pakistan Parliament Building. Prime Minister Imran KHAN welcomed the Chinese delegation and extended congratulations to the success of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Forum.
Imran KHAN,meeting with Baige ZHAO, Fang CAI, Xiangyang Li and RDI delegates
Baige ZHAO reviewed the meeting with Prime Minister Imran KHAN at the Pakistan China Trade & Investment Forum in Beijing, and believed that the successful convention of the Forum fully demonstrated the effective implementation of the consensus reached by the leaders of China and Pakistan and the fulfillment of important cooperation spirit of the 2nd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. During the meeting, the two sides reached a consensus on China-Pakistan economic cooperation and the top-level strategic design and planning under the BRI, including in-depth and detailed exchanges and discussions on cooperation in the fields such as agriculture, medical and health care and digital media. ZHAO put forward constructive suggestions on how to apply China's experience to promoting China-Pakistan economic cooperation and how to construct a brand-new development mechanism by joint efforts of state-owned enterprises and private ones. The suggestions received a strong response from the Prime Minister of Pakistan. In addition, RDI delegates, together with key government officials of Pakistan including the Minister of Planning and Development, Minister of Commerce, Minister of Textile Industry, Director of Gwadar Port Shipping Division, Secretary-General of the Prime Minister's Office, and Adviser to the Prime Minister, proposed specific and clear methods for cooperation and advancement on the above issues.
Imran KHAN with Baige ZHAO, Fang CAI, Xiangyang Li and RDI delegates
RDI platform enterprise delegates Fang CAI, Vice President of and Party Member of CASS, Xiangyang LI, Director of National Institute of International Strategy of CASS, Baozhong ZHANG, Chairman of China Overseas Ports Holding Co., Ltd., Xiaorong SUN, Chairman of Wuhan Landing Medical High-Tech Co., Ltd., Guanghui CHEN, Chairman of Huangshan Duowei Biology (Group) Co., Ltd., Yujun SONG, Vice President of Haier Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd. and Zihai WANG, Chairman of Pakistan Chinese Enterprises Service Co., Ltd. attended the meeting.
Distinguished Guests at China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Forum (2019)
From June 20th to 21st, 2019 China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Forum was held ceremoniously in Islamabad. The Forum was sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, the Embassy of the P.R.C. in Pakistan, CASS, and Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, and co-organized by BRI International Think Tank of CASS and RDI. Baige ZHAO, Chair of Advisory Committee of RDI, Fang CAI, Vice President of and Party Member of CASS, Jing YAO, Ambassador of China to Pakistan, Shah Mahamood QURESHI, Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Khusro BAKHTIAR, Minister of Planning, Development and Reform of Pakistan, Saleem MANDVIWALA, Vice Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, Mushahid Hussain SYED, Chairman of Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate of Pakistan, and representatives of academia, think tanks, enterprises and media from China and Pakistan attended the Forum.
ZHAO emphasized the coordination of the governments, enterprises and think tanks in promoting the CPEC construction and the significance of the stable political and investment environment for Chinese enterprises' development in Pakistan, and put forward systematic and constructive suggestions for realizing regional cooperation and industrial connection. Then, she pointed out that both China and Pakistan should actively throw themselves into the 4th Industrial Revolution, pay attention to the key role of science, technology and innovation, and promote the growth of their internal driving force through scientific and technological progress and innovation breakthroughs, thus enhancing the national strength. China and Pakistan, both having a long history and splendid civilization, had developed a deep traditional friendship. Therefore, China and Pakistan should strengthen cooperation not only at political and economic levels, but also in people-to-people bonds, thus realizing mutual benefits and common development under the banner of the BRI.
CAI said that the purpose of the Forum was to exchange development experiences and promote pragmatic exchanges and cooperation between China and Pakistan under the BRI framework. The Forum aimed to promote China-Pakistan economic construction and improve people's livelihood, learn from important experience of think tanks and cooperation between two sides, and provide intellectual support for the bilateral cooperation. At the same time, the Forum focused on regional cooperation and industrial development and broadened the platform for enterprise cooperation to assist China-Pakistan industrial connection and promote CPEC's high-quality development.
Jing YAO said that the Forum was the important follow-up to the convention of the 2nd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. CPEC has brought important opportunities for the pragmatic cooperation between the two countries. Since his taking office, Prime Minister Imran KHAN has visited China twice, and the leaders of the two countries have reached an important consensus that the CPEC construction should enter a new stage of enrichment and expansion. China is willing to work with Pakistan to tap potential of bilateral cooperation with its focus on industrial and social and livelihood areas and materialize the "People-centered" development concept to ensure stable and long-term corridor cooperation, making greater contributions to the development of Pakistan and the regional connectivity. The Chinese Government supports and encourages all walks of life of the two countries, especially the industrial and commercial circles, to actively participate in the bilateral cooperation and achieve more pragmatic achievements, when the Pakistani Government is building a "New Pakistan".
Shah Mahamood QURESHI said that the existing world order is undergoing drastic changes. Against the backdrop of prevalent unilateralism, threatened multilateralism, intensified competition among major powers, Asia has become the center of geopolitics and economic games. China is a flag-bearer for promoting globalization, and its BRI on a global scale has brought important positive changes to the world. As a close friend of China, Pakistan firmly opposes unilateralism and supports the CPEC construction. Pakistan highly appreciates the important contributions made by CPEC cooperation to its economic and social development. There is no so-called "Debt Trap" in the bilateral cooperation. Pakistan hopes that China will increase its investment in Pakistan and enlarge exchanges and cooperation in various fields under the CPEC framework, thereby making greater contributions to the promotion of the bilateral cooperation and development and regional connectivity.
Khusro BAKHTIAR stated that the CPEC cooperation over the past five years has effectively improved Pakistan's infrastructure condition and effectively alleviated energy shortage in Pakistan, thus providing basic support for Pakistan's development. The Government of Pakistan is committed to promoting structural reforms, and hopes that China can help Pakistan develop export-oriented industries and balance its international payment by transfering more industries to Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan provides more preferential policies and creates a safe environment for CPEC cooperation, and hopes that Chinese enterprises will strengthen cooperation with Pakistan in fields such as agriculture, marine economy and people's livelihood, and explore various financing means.
MANDVIWALA and SYED said that the B&R proposed by President Xi shows a great foresight and leads the trend of historical development. As an important measure for China to build a community with a shared future for mankind with all its partners, it will bring prosperity to all B&R countries, including Pakistan and effectively promote regional connectivity in various fields. The CPEC cooperation over the past five years has effectively improved the infrastructure conditions and alleviated energy shortage in Pakistan, thus providing basic support for Pakistan's social development. All parties in Pakistan strongly supported the B&R construction and highly appreciated the historical role of CPEC in Pakistan's development.
RDI delegates: Baozhong ZHANG, Chairman of China Overseas Ports Holding Co., Ltd. and
Yaobin TIAN, Deputy General Manager of CETC International Co., Ltd. participate in the B2B Talk
The Forum aimed to enhance pragmatic communication and cooperation between Chinese and Pakistani delegates under the BRI framework, through inviting and organizing representatives of governments, enterprises, industry associations, think tanks, experts and scholars of the two countries to join the discussions. By setting up G2G, T2T and B2B sessions, the Forum has organized high-end pragmatic dialogues with their focuses on industrial and social livelihood cooperation, and jointly explored the cooperation potential. The Forum fully embodied the coordination between the governments, enterprises and think tanks in promoting the CPEC construction and put forward systematic suggestions for realizing regional cooperation and industrial connection. The Forum urged China and Pakistan to actively participate in the 4th Industrial Revolution, pay attention to the key role of science, technology and innovation, and promote the growth of their internal driving force through scientific and technological progress and innovation breakthroughs, thus enhancing the national power.
Baige ZHAO and Xiangyang LI, Director of National Institute of International Strategy of CASS, participate in the T2T Dialogue
This visit not only promoted the sustainable development of CPEC and expanded the influence of the BRI's flagship project, but also produced effective results: 1) the Government of Pakistan is highly concerned about the development of prefabricated housing, agriculture, health and medical care, and hopes that RDI will serve as a bridge to advocate the above projects and facilitate the people-to-people bonds; 2) the current Government of Pakistan hopes RDI to carry out effective connection between the outstanding Chinese agricultural team and Pakistan's team to address the issue of low output and great expense in the agriculture of Pakistan through a systematic change; and 3) Xiaorong SUN, Chairman of Wuhan Landing Medical High-Tech Co., Ltd., has fully realized that the people-to-people bonds are the cornerstone for the successful CPEC construction at the Forum, and promised to provide a free screening service for 10,000 Pakistani women with Landing's mature AI Cervical Cancer Screening Technology and gradually promote this technology throughout Pakistan. During the visit, RDI officially started its cooperation with the Ministry of Health Service Management and Coordination of Pakistan.
The constructive high-end dialogue at the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Forum and the subsequent pragmatic project connection mark the internationalization of the RDI model's pragmatic effect, a milestone for RDI to play an important role on the international stage.
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