Islamabad, 20 December 2023 (TDI): Today, the 8th CPEC Media Forum was held in Islamabad. It was jointly organized by the Pakistan-China Institute (PCI) and the China Economic Net (CEN). The theme of the forum was ‘Next decade of CPEC: Opportunities & learning from the past decade.”
The caretaker Minister of Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi graced the event as chief guest. The students from Gwadar University also attended the forum as special guests.
Keynotes by Dignitaries
Minister Murtaza Solangi lauded the transformative impact of CPEC. He said, “The CPEC is not just an infrastructure project; it has generated 2,36,000 jobs since 2013 and is set to create 1.2 million direct jobs, contributing to local workforce development and reducing regional disparities.”
He also appreciated the CPEC Media Forum “CPEC Media Forum is one such platform, filtering facts from fiction. Even before CPEC had materialized, the fake news from different outlets was in full swing.”
Therefore, he urged the media to play its responsible and objective role in shaping the perspectives regarding CPEC. He also said, “Together, let us debunk myths, celebrate achievements, and work towards a future where the promise of CPEC is fully realized”.
The President of China Economic Net, Cui Jun also read out the congratulatory message from Sun Weidong, the current Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China.
China’s Ambassador Jiang Zaidong extended his gratitude to PCI, China Economic Net, and the Ministry of Information for launching the 8th CPEC Media Forum. He also praised the forum for countering misinformation on CPEC. Apart from that he also reiterated the importance of China Pakistan Friendship by quoting successful projects under CPEC in Gwadar.
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As PCI Chairman, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed said “BRI was all about its openness, inclusivity, and connectivity.” He said under the BRI’s CPEC initiative, around $26 billions were allocated for investments and created 236,000 jobs. It also generated 8,000 megawatts of electricity. Moreover, 510 kilometers of roads and highways were built under the CPEC projects.
Moreover, Pakistan’s ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi addressed the forum through a video link. He added “The China-Pakistan relationship is unique and founded on a high level of trust, mutual respect, and need to support sharing interests.” He also assured Pakistan’s commitment to the high-quality development of CPEC.
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