ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has said that industrial co-operation will increase between Pakistan and China as both will move forward under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He said that in the next phase of the CPEC, both agriculture and science and technology would be given full priority.

The minister on Thursday said in his tweet, "As we move forward the emphasis on industrial cooperation will increase. In addition two areas of emphasis and priority in the next phase will be agriculture and science & technology. For both these areas new joint working groups have been established under the CPEC framework."

He said that new joint working groups had been formed under the CPEC framework for both agriculture, and science and technology.

He said that significant progress had also been made in the development of Gwadar infrastructure, which was central to the development of the CPEC.

He said in another tweet, "In industrial cooperation, the first CPEC special economic zone ground breaking in Faisalabad took place in January and significant progress made in Special Economic Zones in Dhabeji, Sindh and Rashakai in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa."

About the development of Gwadar, the minister said in his tweet, "Significant progress also achieved in development of Gwadar infrastructure which is the linchpin of CPEC. This included ground breaking of Pak-China Hospital and a Technical & Vocational Center. Phase 1 of project to supply 5 MGD water from Saur dam to Gwadar city completed."

He said, "Reviewed progress of CPEC projects during 2019-20. In power sector, 2 projects with capacity of 1,980 MW commissioned. Ground breaking of one project has been done.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020