Islamabad : Federal Minister for Planning and Development, Professor Ahsan Iqbal, met with the Governor of Hunan Province, Mao Weiming. The two leaders discussed further strengthening Pakistan–China cooperation and expanding partnerships under CPEC Phase II in new areas of development.
Professor Ahsan Iqbal noted that the participation of leaders from more than twenty countries in the BeiDou Summit was highly encouraging. He praised Hunan’s central role in China’s economy and highlighted that the BeiDou system provides modern information infrastructure critical for industrial development.
The Federal Minister recalled that Pakistan was the very first foreign country to adopt BeiDou, a reflection of the deep trust and enduring friendship between the two nations. He remarked that Pakistan–China cooperation is reaching new heights in science, technology, and economic development, while also exploring new horizons in space and advanced technologies.
He further said that CPEC is the flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, which helped Pakistan overcome its energy and infrastructure bottlenecks. While Phase I focused on physical infrastructure and energy projects, Phase II is prioritizing industry, modern agriculture, minerals, science & technology, and people-to-people exchanges.
Professor Ahsan Iqbal emphasized that cooperation with Hunan Province will be enhanced in areas such as modern agriculture, technology, minerals, and railways, adding that Hunan can play a central role in CPEC Phase II.
On the occasion, Governor Mao Weiming thanked the Federal Minister for his participation in the Summit, stating that Minister Iqbal’s presence in Hunan reflects the strength of Pakistan–China friendship. The Governor also approved the proposal to establish a permanent working group with Hunan Province for CPEC Phase II.
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.
