CPEC promotes high-quality development of Pakistan: foreign ministry

ISLAMABAD, July 6 (Xinhua) -- The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been promoting high-quality development of Pakistan, with the country witnessing remarkable economic achievements since its inauguration in 2013, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

"Pakistan and China are celebrating the 10th anniversary of CPEC which is an important pillar of the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership with China," Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at a weekly press briefing.

The spokesperson said that both Pakistan and China remained committed to continued expansion and development of CPEC to promote win-win connectivity, development and mutual prosperity.

"We will continue to push forward all CPEC projects in a safe, smooth, and high-quality manner, promoting cooperation in areas such as economy and trade, investment, industry, agriculture, health, and science and technology," Baloch said.

Under the first phase of CPEC, China invested billions of dollars in Pakistan, primarily in energy and transport infrastructure sectors, she said, adding that thousands of MWs of energy were added to the national grid, and about 200,000 jobs were created in Pakistan.

The spokesperson also reiterated that being an important node in cross regional connectivity, CPEC is an inclusive and open platform for interested third parties to benefit from investment opportunities in its priority areas such as industry, agriculture, information technology, and oil and gas sectors.