The road to civilization for the future—–One Belt One Road. As the flagship project of the “One Belt And One Road” project, since its implementation in 2015, the China-Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC) has achieved a series of major achievements in transportation infrastructure, energy and other fields, created a large number of jobs for Pakistan and played an important role in the common development of the two countries. Beijing, March 13, Pakistan’s ambassador, Masood Khalid to China, said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua that the impact of the One Belt and One Road initiative on the world is impressive.What opportunities and prospects does One Belt And One Road bring to the Pakistani people? Here we’re going from One Belt And One Road into Pakistan.
Great improvement on Pakistan’s construction
The first place that has changed the most is Gwadar which is becoming Pakistan’s most important port. It is not only a port, but also a special economic zone named “Gwadar special economic zone”. The development model of this special economic zone follow Shenzhen of China, which will become the “Shenzhen” of Pakistan in the future.
Gwadar port has opened a number of square kilometers of the park, electricity, water, coal, roads, logistics, several availables and one accessible is being resolved. Companies wanting to enter the park are now “in hard time”. Now Pakistan’s government is busy building the second and third phases of the park. There is also China’s “Haier” , home appliances as the core, forming a “Haier” industrial park. Led by these model parks, Pakistan plans to open nine economic and industrial parks to attract international capital into the country. Not only Chinese companies, but also companies from all over the world can enter. From that we can feel Pakistan’s determination to open up.
The second place is the China-Pakistan friendship highway, also known as the Karakoram highway.The road was built in China in the 1960s and 1970s where hundreds of Chinese workers died. In the past five years, China has started the second phase of the road which is paved with asphalt and can reach speeds of more than 80 kilometers per hour. You know, it’s very difficult to build an asphalt highway on the plateau, but we did it. Pakistani people walk on this road without any obstacles. That’s all we want.
The third big change is that Pakistan pay more attention to its infrastructure construction. According to incomplete statistics, there are about 19 billion us dollars of investment and more than 20 major projects, such as China’s three gorges corporation and GeZhouba group building power stations there, to help Pakistan solve the problem of power shortage. Huawei has helped to modernize Pakistan’s entire communications system. The three gorges corporation alone employs more than 40,000 workers in Pakistan, and Huawei employs more than 20,000.
The fourth change is modernization of cities. Pakistan’s urban landscape is more traditional, generally two or three stories, five stories above the house are very few. A private Chinese company has contracted to clean up Karachi, a city with 22 million people, and within three years has taken the initiative to clean up the all city’s waste. Besides, Chinese real estate companies are investing in a commercial center in Islamabad. When completed, the city will undergo expecting changes.
In addition to the hardware, Pakistan is also developing “software” that is supporting social programs. Apart from education, culture, health, etc. they are also trying to build solar and wind power generation and solve the problem of electricity in some remote areas where high voltage can not reach.
Pakistan is an important country along the “One Belt and One Road” route. China and Pakistan have deepened cooperation in the field of clean energy in recent years. With the completion of phase I and phase II of the Pakistan wind power project, the closure of the Karot hydropower station, the Kohala hydropower project and a number of other key clean energy projects, China-Pakistan green energy cooperation has brought and will continue to bring tangible benefits to the Pakistani people.
“Softpower” has been greatly enhanced
In recent years, the Pakistani government attaches great importance to the development of education. Talent is the key to develop a country. With the upgrading and deepening of China-Pakistan strategic cooperation, new opportunities have been created in the field of education, including cooperation and exchanges between enterprises and universities.
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Lu Shan, chairman and party secretary of China road and bridge, said “China-Pakistan friendship has a long history. With the strong support of the education departments of China and Pakistan and the active promotion of the national development and reform commission, China road and bridge launched the ‘inheriting China-Pakistan friendship, 100 students program’. And Elshad Ali, executive director of the Pakistan higher education commission, thanked China for helping Pakistan’s development in all aspects. He hopes that these students will become the inheritors and promoters of the China-Pakistan friendship in the young generation, and at the same time devote themselves to the transportation cause of Pakistan and contribute to the national construction after returning from their studies. We are also confident that in the near future we will see a modern and strong Pakistan
The friendship between China and Pakistan will be stronger and longer lasting
Here is a touching story that I want to share with my friends. The Karakoram highway, which connects western China with Pakistan, is the world’s highest highway at average altitude and a landmark project to witness the friendship between China and Pakistan. Therefore, it is also known as the China-Pakistan friendship highway. Part of the Karakoram highway will be flooded and will have to be rerouted because of Pakistan’s need to build the Dasu dam. A Pakistani doctor who didn’t understand the project became an integral part of the project. He is Ruhan, Pakistani doctor of CPEC.
As the only resident doctor of the project, apart from daily medical services, his most important job is to ensure the safety of the blasting site construction personnel.
Ruhan said: “we must take relative protective measures after the blasting, because the rubble produced by the blasting is likely to hurt the people around. Hopefully there will be no casualties and we will be ready every day to help.” Since joining the project in 2015, Ruhan has lost count of how many times he has carried out such safety protection for blasting sites. Close to feel the collapse of the rock scene, Ruhan has never had the idea of retreat. And behind this is a special friendship that lasts for two generations.
Ruhan said, “my father helped build the Karakoram highway. My father told me that there was a shortage of doctors and that many Chinese working here had given their lives. He told me that you should work with Chinese people. They are very smart, dedicated, friendly and patriotic. You can learn a lot from them.”
Under the influence of her father, Ruhan chose to study medicine in xi ‘an for six years and finally obtained a bachelor’s degree in clinical medicine. Back in Pakistan, he practiced and qualified as a doctor at the famous Swat Hospital. With these experiences, he could have chosen a job without any personal safety risk, but he joined the project team of CPEC without hesitation. He told us, ” this project is very important for the development of our country. At the same time, my Chinese friends also work very hard here under such tough conditions. When I see them away from home, working in such a dangerous place, I also want to do something for my country. It is more because of the friendship between China and Pakistan.”
Besides, he said that the “One Belt And One Road” initiative and the construction of the China-Pakistan economic corridor have provided a rare opportunity for Pakistan’s economic development and improved the lives of local people. He hopes to continue his work in CPEC after the completion of the project.
At last , he told us, “I have learned a lot from working with Chinese friends. They are very hardworking and dedicated. I want to be a bridge between Pakistan and China. Long live China-Pakistan friendship!”
That story moved me so much. Really thank you every Pakistani like Ruhan who take great contribution to China-Pakistan friendship. And I firmly believe the traditional friendship between China and Pakistan is bound to expand like the karakoram highway.
The One Belt And One Road will certainly help the two countries and benefit Asia as a whole
“The China-Pakistan economic corridor is an important part of the One Belt and One Road initiative’s vision of a better world,” according to Akbar, President of the Herald National BBS Daily in khlad, Pakistan. Maslow, director of Pakistan combat media group, said the China-Pakistan economic corridor will further deepen relations and boost the development of the two countries, which will benefit the whole of Asia.
During the construction of the China-Pakistan economic corridor, the media of China and Pakistan recorded the fruitful results of the flagship project, told numerous vivid stories of struggle, conveyed the determination of the two countries to join hands for win-win cooperation, expressed the aspirations of the two peoples for peace and a better life, and promoted cultural exchanges and people-to-people bond between the two countries.
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The writer Vaedy Xiao is the content manager from HXJQ Machinery
Images from:
www.pakistangulfeconomist.com/
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