Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong said that Pakistan can extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan, Iran and beyond, enhancing connectivity and trade facilitation across Central, South and West Asia and reinforcing its regional influence, thereby accelerating the strategic shift from geopolitics to geo-economics.
According to media reports, while speaking at the “CPEC in My Eyes” forum in Islamabad, the Chinese envoy reaffirmed that the CPEC would remain a cornerstone of Pakistan’s economic transformation, in line with the country’s development goals and regional connectivity initiatives.
Jiang emphasised that CPEC would continue to strengthen Pakistan’s geo-economic position, enhancing trade links with Afghanistan, Iran, and beyond, while supporting connectivity across Central, South, and West Asia. He stated that the project was central to Pakistan’s shift from geopolitics to geo-economics.
Jiang highlighted the progress CPEC has made since its inception, noting that it had brought $25.4 billion in direct investment, built 510 km of motorways, added over 8,000 MW to the power grid, and delivered 886 km of transmission lines. He also pointed to Gwadar Port’s development, the Sukkur-Multan Motorway, and new energy projects as key infrastructure milestones.
He described Gwadar Port, along with the East Bay Expressway and the new Gwadar International Airport, as part of a modern, multi-modal transport network transforming the region into a major trade and logistics hub.
Jiang also mentioned that the CPEC initiative had become the most significant project under the Belt and Road Initiative, with major developments in areas such as healthcare, education, and water supply in Gwadar. He noted that the Chinese-aided Friendship Hospital had treated 90,000 patients, and the 5,000-ton-per-day desalination plant had addressed water shortages.
The ambassador further discussed the expansion of CPEC into five key corridors: growth, livelihood, innovation, green, and open, and rejected criticisms of the project, calling claims of its slowdown or exploitation misleading and motivated by ulterior agendas.
