Last Monday, the Chinese Ambassador, Zhao Lijian said that China is going to build a large new steel factory at the city of Gwadar for the purpose of making further progress in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
This announcement was made by him while he was talking to the participants in a conference set up by Strategic Vision Insitute (SVI). He said:
“Both China and Pakistan would very soon sign an agreement to establish the steel factory, three times bigger than the free economic zone being set up in Gwadar city.”
He said that industrial development and cooperation is one of the most important needs for CPEC, and that the matter would be discussed in detail in the next meeting of Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC), which will be put together in Beijing this month.
The talk between the authorities didn’t just revolve around the new steel factory, but the Gwadar port was also brought into discussion soon after.
He talked a bit about the history of the Gwadar port, how it was handed over to Singapore but there was no development even after 5 years, but when the port fell into Chinese hands, the port was made functional and a ship carrying Chinese goods left for Africa.
The Chinese Ambassador said that after all the projects are dealt with, such as the transport infrastructure and the Gwadar port, cooperation between China and Pakistan will be the next main subject at the discussion at the next JCC.
Later on the subject of the Gwadar airport was brought up. He said that previously, only the C-130 or propeller-planes could make-do at the airport, but now with the new upgradations, the airport will be able to function with all the modern aircrafts including the A-380 Airbus after it is completed.
Coming back to the subject of energy projects, he said that several power plants are going to be built in different parts of Pakistan, including hydro power plants, coal based power plants, wind power plants and solar based power plants to fulfill the need of electricity for Pakistan.
The Suki Kinari, Hydro Power Project will be starting early next year. Sahiwal Power Plant and Port Qasim Power Plant will be completed by June and December next year respectively. A power plant set up at Thar coal site will be worked upon next summer.
Via APP
