ISLAMABAD    -  Pakistan’s ambassador Moin ul Haque to China has said that the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a most prominent and successful flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative has laid a sound foundation for modernization of Pakistan’s economy.

He said this while addressing the opening ceremony of the 11th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum (IIICF) in Macao, China, CEN reported yesterday.

“In the next phase, the convergence of traditional and digital infrastructure would be essential for unleashing the potential for growth in diverse areas such as agriculture, science and technology, industrial relocation and vocational training”, the Ambassador said.

CPEC’s growth and success had highlighted the centrality of modernizing infrastructure to achieve the sustainable development goals.

A video message from Chairman CPEC Authority, Asim S. Bajwa, was also played at the event.

The Ambassador called on enterprises and private capital to play a greater role in enhancing international connectivity alongside governments, financial institutions and MDBs.

The Ambassador also spoke on the theme of “Challenges and Opportunities: Outlook on International Infrastructure Development in post-COVID-19 era” and praised China’s positive economic growth, which he said was reflective of its effective pandemic control and prudent economic policies.

He expressed confidence that China would continue to drive global economic growth and recovery after the pandemic.

The Ambassador noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had changed the modes of life and work, and new modes of infrastructure investment would play a key role in post-pandemic recovery.

The opening ceremony and theme forum were addressed by the Chief Executive of the Macao SAR, Vice Minister for Commerce, as well as senior executives from MDBs and enterprises.