BEIJING, (DNA) – China is a great success of the modern ag which has achieved sustained growth, transforming society, improving the quality of life of a billion people, said Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday at Leader’s Roundtable.At the onset of his speech at the event that was part of Belt and Road Initiative conference, The prime minister thanked President Xi Jinping and the Government of the People’s Republic of China for their excellent hospitality.
He also also congratulated President Xi Jinping and the Chinese nation on the Seventieth Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China
He said the the transformation in China is due to the wisdom of country’s leadership and the hard work of its people.
“Now President Xi Jinping has given the BRI vision; to break barriers, connect people, integrate economies and share prosperity,” he said.
The Pakistani leader said his country was privileged to have been an early partner of China.
Talking about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, he said it is a collection of projects in road, rail, energy and other fields, aimed at overcoming constraints and achieving growth.
The prime minister while highlighting areas to boost connectivity and benefits under BRI umbrella said: “We are building highways, modernizing railroads, setting up power plants, establishing a port, and establishing Special Economic Zones. And a new port is connecting regions and eventually continents,” Imran Khan said.
“The CPEC is not a transaction. It is a transformation of our society,” he said.
The premier said the connectivity of Gwadar Port with China’s Xinjiang region will provide a shorter route for China’s imports compared to the South China Sea, reducing the cost for Chinese companies and developing western China as well.
“Digital Connectivity and better sharing of information about business opportunities and lowest prices.
 Mobility of labour and transfer of skills for cost-effectiveness.
 Cultural links to assist the development of tourism which increases jobs and small businesses.
 Knowledge and Innovation Connectivity to share best practices from BRI countries. For Pakistan, with its young population, future lies in developing skills and integration with the global economy.
To implement these additional areas of connectivity, I suggest that BRI countries:
 Establish a BRI Tourism Corridor for cultural and tourism exchanges.
 Develop programmes for improving the skills of labour from labour surplus countries to assist the labour-deficient countries.
 Create multi-lingual digital platforms for connecting producers, consumers, and skilled job-seekers,”.
Imran Khan said Pakistan is at the cross-roads of important regions.
” Throughout our history, we have connected ideas, cultures, and commerce”.
He said connectivity has been a part of “our heritage and CPEC is giving it modern shape in the 21st Century”.
“As our region becomes more linked and prosperous, my expectation is that we will find it easier to find common solutions for longstanding problems,” Prime Minister Imran Khan said.
