BACKGROUND

Pak China Friendship is spread over generations

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's decision to include Pakistan in his first foreign trip in May 2013 after assuming office in March 2013 underscored the importance, the leadership attaches to our relationship.

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif's visit to China in July 2013 – his first official overseas trip since assuming office – During this visit, MoU on China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC) was signed on 5th July 2013, in Beijing

MOU

MoU enables the Governments to cooperate in the planning and development of CPEC and facilitate and intensify economic activity along the Corridor.

The Ministry of Planning, Development & Reform (MPD&R) is the focal Ministry for this engagement whereas its counterpart in China is National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

CORPORATION FILEDS

Long Term Plan :Formulate a Long Term Plan for CPEC from present to 2030 defining overall direction, ideas and goals of cooperation.Connectivity: Undertake research on communication networks including roads, railways, fiber optic cables, oil and gas pipelines linking Western China with Gwadar, Pakistan.Economic and Technology Cooperation : Explore sectoral cooperation and exchanges in agriculture, spatial structure and functional zones, industrial park construction, manufacturing, traditional and new energy infrastructure construction, energy conservation and protection of environment at key areas along the Corridor.

Social Sector: Strengthen cooperation in education, culture, tourism, poverty alleviation, cooperation in livelihood areas and media through cultural and local government to government exchanges and people to people communication.

Financial Cooperation and any Field of Mutual Interest: Conduct dialogue and research in the areas of mutual interests including financial cooperation

LANDSCAPE SETTING

Work on Peshawar-Karachi motorway project started over 20 years back and effort is being made to complete it in next few years.

Gwadar, the gateway of CPEC will serve multiple domestic and trans-national destinations through network of roads/railways/air/sea .

CPEC takes less developed areas into the folds of active development (Gilgit-Baltistan, Thar region, Gwadar region)

All provincial capitals are the agreed nodes of CPEC.

CPEC will integrate all provincial capitals into the economic mesh which would help in consolidation at national level and it will also contribute to regional integration, harmony and economic development