Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure to attend this session of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Media Forum. Since its inception in 2015, the Forum has become an influential platform for bilateral exchanges in the media field, playing a significant role in deepening media cooperation, enhancing mutual understanding, and supporting the development of the CPEC. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to friends from the media and all sectors of both countries who have long cared for and supported China-Pakistan relations and cooperation.
Over the past decade, the Forum has grown alongside the CPEC, fostering a favorable public opinion environment for its advancement . In 2015, President Xi Jinping’s historic visit to Pakistan solidified the “1+4” cooperation framework for CPEC. That same year, the CPEC Media Forum was launched in Islamabad . In the ten years since, both sides have actively implemented high-level consensus, transforming the CPEC into a comprehensive cooperation project spanning multiple sectors. It has significantly contributed to Pakistan’s economic and social development, emerging as a flagship initiative of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Similarly, during this period, the CPEC Media Forum has evolved from a platform for information exchange into a high-level dialogue brand, walking alongside and serving the CPEC with distinctive contributions. Firstly, by sharing cooperation stories and promoting outcomes, it has made the CPEC tangible and rallied support for its progress. Secondly, it has countered baseless narratives such as the “debt trap” theory with data and facts, exposing those who seek to undermine the CPEC while bolstering its builders. Thirdly, going beyond mere discourse, the Forum has taken concrete actions—such as establishing the “Golden Anchor Award for CPEC Communication” to set benchmarks for amplifying the CPEC’s voice and extending media collaboration through initiatives like the “Journalists’ Fellowship Program” .
Today, the development of both countries injects strong momentum into the CPEC, while the CPEC’s progress provides a continuous source of vitality for the Forum. This year, China’s economy has advanced under pressure, demonstrating resilience and innovation. Key trends include: steady growth with GDP expanding by 5.2% year-on-year in the first three quarters, an acceleration of 0.4 percentage points from the previous year; optimized dynamics, with value-added output in high-tech manufacturing above the designated scale rising by 9.2% in the first 11 months, and NEV production and sales both exceeding ten million units; and sustained long-term positive fundamentals, underpinned by China’s institutional strengths, a mega-sized market, a complete industrial system, and a vast talent pool. China’s GDP is expected to reach RMB 140 trillion this year, with decisive progress toward basically realizing socialist modernization by the end of the 15th Five-Year Plan period. We are also pleased to note that Pakistan’s GDP grew by 3.04% in the last fiscal year, exceeding the forecast of 2.68%, with fiscal revenue up by 36.7%, tax revenue by 25.8%, and per capita income rising from USD 1,663 to USD 1,812. Foreign exchange reserves surpassed USD 20 billion for the first time, and international rating agencies have upgraded Pakistan’s sovereign credit outlook. The stable economic trajectories of both countries provide robust impetus for bilateral cooperation, elevating the CPEC to a new phase of “CPEC 2.0” and offering rich material for media coverage and Forum discussions.
Looking ahead, the CPEC will continue to be a key pillar of China-Pakistan cooperation, and media professionals from both sides have vast potential to contribute to the Forum’s development. Next year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. We are ready to work with Pakistan to implement the important consensus of our leaders, build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, and leverage the upgraded version of CPEC as a platform to consolidate and expand all-weather strategic cooperation. Deepening media collaboration is an integral component of this upgrading process. I trust that media professionals from both countries will closely align with the dynamic practices of CPEC development, strengthen exchanges, and serve as interpreters of the two nations’ development paths, communicators of CPEC achievements, and promoters of the ironclad China-Pakistan friendship. By enhancing media-think tank linkages, shaping proactive narratives, and building an international communication matrix, we can foster stronger public support, broader societal consensus, and greater momentum for the China-Pakistan community with a shared future.
In closing, I wish this Media Forum complete success! Thank you!
Established in December 2008, The Diplomatic Insight is Pakistan’s premier diplomacy and foreign affairs magazine, available in both digital and print formats.
