CPEC qualitatively changes Pak-China relations into deep economic partnership: minister

LAHORE, Pakistan, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir Khan said Monday that with the inception of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) 10 years ago, the relations between the two countries qualitatively changed into a deep economic partnership.

"CPEC is a deep commitment by the government and the people of China to the future economic development of Pakistan," the minister told the celebrations of safe operation for 1,000-days of ±660kV Matiari-Lahore high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission project under CPEC.

Highlighting the 10th anniversary of CPEC, he said Pakistan had crippling energy shortages with regular load shedding along with a strong wave of terrorism a decade ago, due to which none of its international partners were willing to come out actively for its support.

"China came and stood beside Pakistan shoulder to shoulder," Khan said, adding that "it is the tough times that allow you to recognize your true friends."

Regarding the Matiari-Lahore transmission line, the minister said this 886-km-long network connecting the power projects from Pakistan's northern mountains all the way up to the southern parts, represents a deep bond of friendship between the two countries.

On the occasion, Li Yong, counselor of commercial affairs at the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan, said the only power transmission project under CPEC, has already delivered almost 27 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity.

"The Chinese side is willing to work closely with the Pakistani counterpart to fully implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, to promote the high-quality development of CPEC and turn it into a high-quality demonstration project for Belt and Road cooperation," he added.

Launched in 2013, CPEC is a corridor linking the Gwadar port in southwestern Pakistan with Kashgar in northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, which highlights energy, transport and industrial cooperation.

The Matiari-Lahore transmission project was invested and constructed by the State Grid Corporation of China. The construction started in December 2018, and around 7,000 jobs had been created for the locals during the construction period.

The commercial operation of the project, which has the maximum capacity to transmit electricity of 35 billion kWh annually, started in September 2021.