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Pakistan Studies/In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and introduced the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness in China’s neighborhood diplomacy. As China’s “iron-clad friend,” Pakistan responded positively, giving rise to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which has become one of the earliest and most significant flagship projects under the BRI.
President Xi Jinping has attached great importance to the development of China-Pakistan relations and the advancement of CPEC. Recently, the Pakistani government held a grand celebration marking the 10th anniversary of the launch of CPEC. President Xi sent a congratulatory message, and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng attended the event in Pakistan as President Xi’s special representative.
In his message, President Xi spoke highly of the achievements and significance of CPEC, noting that the corridor has become a vivid symbol of the all-weather friendship between China and Pakistan and has provided strong support for building a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era.
Over the past decade, CPEC has upheld the Silk Road spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning, and mutual benefit. It has delivered remarkable achievements and emerged as one of the earliest, broadest, and most impactful projects under the Belt and Road Initiative, creating a successful example of building a community with a shared future for mankind.
CPEC has established a model of strategic cooperation and provided important strategic support for the development of China-Pakistan relations.
During President Xi Jinping’s historic state visit to Pakistan in 2015, bilateral relations were elevated to an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. The two sides established the “1+4” cooperation framework, with CPEC at its center and focusing on four key areas: Gwadar Port, transportation infrastructure, energy, and industrial cooperation.
In 2018, China and Pakistan issued a joint statement on strengthening the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and building a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era. The two sides reviewed progress made in early CPEC projects and agreed to explore new areas of cooperation.
In recent years, President Xi Jinping and Pakistani leaders have maintained close communication on CPEC, providing strategic guidance for the corridor’s development and practical cooperation. As CPEC continues to advance, mutual strategic trust between China and Pakistan has deepened, bringing the two nations closer together.
CPEC has demonstrated the value of consultation, cooperation, and shared development.
China and Pakistan have established the Joint Cooperation Committee of CPEC and created various platforms for exchanges, including the CPEC Universities Consortium, think tank forums, and media forums. Through extensive consultation, the two sides have jointly identified cooperation priorities, models, and areas, enabling greater flows of Chinese investment and technology into Pakistan while facilitating more Pakistani products entering the Chinese market.
Over the past decade, Chinese engineers and Pakistani employees have worked side by side, achieving remarkable milestones—from transforming barren lands into thriving industrial zones, improving transportation networks, and creating new development opportunities.
During the COVID-19 pandemic and Pakistan’s severe floods, Chinese and Pakistani personnel supported each other and worked together to ensure the stable operation of completed projects and the orderly progress of ongoing construction.
By the end of 2022, CPEC projects had directly created 236,000 jobs, including 155,000 positions for Pakistani workers. Millions of people involved in CPEC development have contributed to the corridor’s continued growth and to the advancement of the China-Pakistan community with a shared future.
CPEC has created tangible benefits for Pakistan’s economic and social development.
According to statistics, CPEC has brought approximately US$25.4 billion in investment to Pakistan, added more than 500 kilometers of highways, over 8,000 megawatts of electricity generation capacity, and nearly 900 kilometers of core national power transmission networks. These achievements have helped address infrastructure and energy bottlenecks and significantly supported Pakistan’s economic growth.
Gwadar Port has developed from a small fishing village into a regional transportation hub, supported by improvements in roads, industrial parks, hospitals, and schools.
Major projects, including the Sukkur-Multan Motorway, the second phase of the Karakoram Highway upgrade, the first China-Pakistan cross-border optical fiber cable, Pakistan’s first urban metro system—the Lahore Orange Line Metro—and the first high-voltage direct current transmission project, have been successfully completed and put into operation.
Power projects including the Sahiwal Power Plant, Port Qasim Power Plant, Hub Power Plant, and Karot Hydropower Project have strengthened Pakistan’s energy security. Industrial development zones such as the Rashakai Special Economic Zone have also begun operations.
China has remained Pakistan’s largest trading partner for eight consecutive years. The second phase of the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement has continued to generate benefits, while Pakistan’s agricultural exports to China have grown rapidly. Policies facilitating the export of high-quality Pakistani agricultural products, including fresh cherries and processed beef, have steadily advanced.
The two countries’ central banks have signed a memorandum of understanding on establishing a RMB clearing arrangement in Pakistan, while financial cooperation mechanisms such as currency swaps continue to improve.
Through CPEC, China has shared development opportunities with Pakistan through concrete actions, promoting common development, shared prosperity, and stronger momentum for building a China-Pakistan community with a shared future.
CPEC is not only a platform for economic cooperation but also a bridge connecting the hearts of the Chinese and Pakistani peoples.
Whether through infrastructure projects such as power plants, highways, and ports, or through cooperation in industry, technology, and training, CPEC reflects a people-centered approach aimed at improving livelihoods and creating a better future for ordinary citizens.
Today, an increasing number of social welfare and livelihood projects under CPEC are benefiting communities across Pakistan.
Children in the Faqir Colony area of Gwadar now have access to spacious and modern schools. Women in the Thar region have gained new opportunities and become professional truck drivers. Residents of Lahore enjoy significantly shorter commuting times, and many communities have been relieved from frequent power shortages.
By benefiting local communities and promoting closer ties between the peoples of China and Pakistan, CPEC has laid a solid foundation of friendship for building a China-Pakistan community with a shared future.
Entering a new era and embarking on a new journey, CPEC is moving into a stage of high-quality development. Guided by the principles of high standards, sustainability, and improved livelihoods, China and Pakistan will continue advancing CPEC with greater commitment, higher standards, and greater efficiency.
The two sides will work together to transform CPEC into a demonstration project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and accelerate the building of a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future.
China and Pakistan will enhance CPEC’s role as a driver of economic growth and shared development. By implementing the CPEC Long-Term Plan, the two sides will continue exploring new sources of growth, deepen cooperation in industrial parks, improve infrastructure connectivity, and expand collaboration in industries including manufacturing, agriculture, and mining.
The two sides will continue ensuring that development achievements benefit the people. Cooperation in healthcare, education, vocational training, and social development will be strengthened, with more “small yet impactful” projects implemented to create employment opportunities and improve living standards.
Innovation will remain a key driver of CPEC development. China and Pakistan will expand cooperation in emerging fields including high technology, mobile communications, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and smart cities, while encouraging collaboration between small and medium-sized enterprises and startups.
CPEC will continue pursuing a green and low-carbon development path, aligning with the Green Silk Road and Pakistan’s Green Pakistan Initiative. The two sides will strengthen cooperation in green investment, green infrastructure, green agriculture, disaster prevention, and renewable energy, including wind and solar power projects.
CPEC will continue serving as an engine of regional economic growth and a catalyst for regional integration. China and Pakistan welcome participation from third parties and will strengthen cooperation with regional countries and international organizations.
The corridor will continue expanding cooperation with partners including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and the World Bank, while supporting future connectivity with Afghanistan and promoting regional economic integration and shared prosperity.
Today, the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. The “iron-clad” friendship between China and Pakistan has stood the test of changing international circumstances and remains deeply rooted in the hearts of both peoples.
China and Pakistan share strong determination, firm commitment, and solid capabilities to preserve and advance their all-weather friendship and continuously strengthen their all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.
President Xi Jinping has proposed the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions to addressing global challenges and promoting shared opportunities.
The Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation will be held in Beijing, providing a new opportunity to advance Belt and Road cooperation and further upgrade CPEC development.
China stands ready to work together with Pakistan to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries, deepen strategic trust, expand cooperation, and jointly promote the implementation of the three global initiatives.
Together, China and Pakistan will achieve greater accomplishments in bilateral cooperation and CPEC development, inject new momentum into the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, and continue writing a new chapter in building a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future.
