On the eve of the Prime Minister's visit to meet President Xi, and attend the Winter Olympics being held in Beijing, GVS editor Dr. Moeed Pirzada sat down with Khalid Mansoor, state minister and SAPM on CPEC Affairs, to understand the challenges of CPEC phase II, what is the current status of CPEC, where is it going, is it stalled as it is increasingly being said in the media, and what is his current agenda in the Beijing visit.
If Pakistan is to have a credible share of the $2 trillion Chinese import market, it needs to undertake serious trade policy reforms. Like the ASEAN, Pakistan needs to lower its import tariffs and get rid of its protectionist policies.
The Prime Minister is visiting China with the goal of persuading Chinese companies to relocate to Pakistan. While this may appear to be a terrific "get out of jail free" card for Pakistan, Pakistan's "do more" attitude to Beijing is not sustainable or sensible, and it wastes Beijing's finite goodwill.
As PM Imran Khan heads to China to meet with President Xi and attend the Winter Olympics, GVS Editor Dr Moeed Pirzada sits down with Chairman WAPDA, Gen. Muzammil Hussain to understand what is behind Pakistan's energy challenges, Why dams were not built, and what further role Chinese companies and investment can play in helping Pakistan improving its energy challenges.
An evolving and perhaps the most pressing issue prevalent in the country is that of persistently high energy-related accumulated costs, better known as circular debt. The last 4-to 5 governments have failed to resolve this issue and it has been continuously mushrooming
China highly appreciates Pakistan's strong support and sincere wishes to China in hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics. We warmly welcome PM Imran Khan to come to China to attend the opening ceremony.
220 million Pakistanis are only 11 percent of the nearly two billion strong Islamic civilization. China Pakistan cooperation, therefore, is not between two entire civilizations, rather it is a cooperation between one whole civilization under one state and a small but important part of Islamic civilizations.
The Olympic flame has been ignited three times in four years for Asia and the region has wholeheartedly shown support to celebrating the Beijing Winter Olympics, themed "Together for a Shared Future." China is ready to light the Olympic flame once again at its National Stadium
While rejoicing over 70 years of exemplary friendship and time-tested partnership, our two countries envision a brighter future and are firmly committed to building the "Pakistan-China Community of Shared Future in the New Era."
February 4 will see the official launch of Winter Olympics 2022. Beijing has the lone honor of being only city in the world that has hosted both the Summer (2008) and Winter Olympics.
PM's visit is very important in the perspective of geopolitics when China is being coerced from the West. The US is ganging up and strengthening its alliance against China. The US measures to contain China, counter China, and resist the rise of China, have gained momentum.
