PCJCCI for regional connectivity to create ‘Information Silk Road’

LAHORE: Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) has urged the government to take a lead in developing “Information Silk Road” for having maximum benefits out of the economic corridor to be constructed by China in the Asia-Pacific region, this was stated by Wang Zihai, President PCJCCI in a statement on Tuesday here at PCJCCI premises.

He said the roads and railways are easy enough to build, but it is hard to cultivate mental harmony among people that holds more importance in regional connectivity. Information has become a core resource and is crucial to international cooperation.

“The next leap for regional connectivity is to create Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway,” he said. Infrastructure development is progressing steadily for the China proposed Belt and Road Initiative, but parallel with a communication and infrastructure network connecting Asia, Europe, and Africa, there is dire need of breaking the barriers of information among the connecting nations, Wang added.

Ehsan Choudhry, Senior Vice President PCJCCI said that people-to-people bond provides the public support for implementing the strategic initiatives. We should carry forward the spirit of friendly cooperation of the Silk Road by promoting extensive cultural and academic exchanges, personnel exchanges and cooperation among media, youth and volunteers so as to win public support for deepening bilateral and multilateral harmony, he mentioned.

Sarfaraz Butt, Vice President PCJCCI proposed to develop a concrete agenda to initiate an effective communication process among the states being connected through Pak-China economic belt as well as the Silk Road. The agenda should specially include friendly exchanges of the respective legislative bodies and political parties.

Salahuddin Hanif, Secretary General PCJCCI said that the Belt and Road Initiative aimed at creating a world in which, economically, everyone’s path ends at the door of China. But it’s not a path that people are unwilling to walk. It’s not a political domination, it’s more like a stressing of mutual benefits. He expressed confidence that present government of Pakistan was quite capable of taking successful initiatives in this regard. Wang Zihai, President PCJCCI hoped that such initiatives would emerge Pakistan as a leader of the region. He assured of his fullest cooperation on behalf of the Pak-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry in this move, which will also have the fullest support of all Chinese companies operating in Pakistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022