Islamabad : Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, Professor Ahsan Iqbal, chaired a high-level meeting to review preparations for the forthcoming session of the Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as well as the Prime Minister’s scheduled visit to Beijing.
The Minister emphasized that the future of CPEC must be anchored in quality rather than quantity, noting that only carefully selected, high-impact projects will be advanced to ensure sustainability and to strengthen Pakistan’s institutional capacity. Reflecting on his recent visit to China, he informed that, on behalf of the Prime Minister, he extended an invitation to President Xi Jinping to visit Islamabad in 2026 to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China. He further noted that the Prime Minister’s upcoming visit will mark the formal launch of CPEC Phase-II, with both sides expected to set clear priorities and agree on tangible, measurable outcomes.
Underscoring the imperative to expand Pakistan’s trade and export footprint in China, the Minister directed that unnecessary delays in visa processing be addressed on priority so that genuine businesspersons are facilitated smoothly and without hurdles. He also instructed the preparation of an outcome-focused plan to diversify exports, strengthen industrial linkages, and maximize benefits from enhanced market access under CPEC cooperation.
On human resource development, Professor Ahsan Iqbal underlined the importance of fully utilizing the 10,000 training opportunities offered by China across multiple sectors. He directed that a transparent framework be instituted to ensure that the right people receive the right training, aligned with institutional needs, so that Pakistan derives durable capacity-building and organizational gains.
The meeting reviewed progress in priority areas, including the Multan–Sukkur Motorway, IT graduate training initiatives, computational infrastructure for artificial intelligence, industrial relocation and industrial parks, mining, special economic zones, and agriculture. The Minister instructed that data-driven studies be undertaken on China’s industrial relocation trends and that Chinese market segments matching Pakistan’s export strengths be mapped comprehensively. He observed that China imports goods worth over US$2 trillion annually and stressed that Pakistan must strategically aim to capture at least US$30–50 billion of this trade through targeted competitiveness and sectoral readiness.
He further directed that an outcome-oriented study be completed to identify high-potential sectors and products for export to China, with the objective of creating an exportable surplus, attracting sustained investment, and strengthening the balance of payments over the medium term. He reiterated the need for policy continuity and institutional reforms to realize long-term CPEC gains, and affirmed close engagement with the private sector, academia, and research institutions in industrial cooperation, technology, agriculture, energy, and human resource development.
The meeting concluded with instructions to all stakeholders to finalize actionable deliverables ahead of the JCC session and the Prime Minister’s visit to Beijing. The Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives will coordinate with relevant departments to ensure robust preparation and effective outcomes.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
