ISLAMABAD: Former Caretaker Minister for Health Dr Nadeem Jan has emphasised the need for adopting an approach based on human development to fully exploit the development potential of Pak-China cooperation in diverse fields. The caretaker federal minister was addressing a round-table discussion titled “China’s Economic Development: Opportunities for Pakistan” organised by CGTN-Urdu at a local hotel in Islamabad. Addressing as chief guest on the occasion, Dr Nadeem Jan said the heart-to-heart connection between the peoples of Pakistan and China indicates a win-win scenario which is a positive indicator for swift development of Pakistan. He said Pakistan can take a leaf out of China’s book to adopt policies based on consistency, accountability, and self-sufficiency to achieve its development goals. However, he said, Pakistan needs to take ground realities into consideration while setting short and long-term goals.

He said dependence on donors shouldn’t be an option, and self-reliance and competition should be a way forward. He former minister said Pakistan has the potential to take pharmaceutical exports to $2 billion and China could be an attractive destination for this. Political Counsellor, Embassy of People Republic of China, Mr. Wang Shengjie, said in his address that work on many projects under Pak-China Economic Corridor is continuing in Pakistan. He said development goals can be achieved swiftly by adopting the phenomenon of “New Quality Productive Process” in which strategies driven by innovative approach take precedence. Mr. Wang particularly emphasised the potential of growth in Pakistan’s information technology and mining sectors.

Director China Media Group Ms Du Jianing, Director China Study Centre, National University of Science and Technology (NUST) Ms. Xiang Yang, Former Chief Executive Officer Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment Dr Hassan Dawood Butt, Executive Director Pakistan Research Centre for a Community with Shared Future (PRCCSF) Khalid Taimur Akram, CEO of Asian Institute of Eco-Civilisation, Research and Development Shakeel Ahmed Ramay, Director of Pak-China Study and Research Centre, Bahria University Islamabad, Commodore (Retd) Imran ul Haque, Vice Chancellor National Skills University Islamabad Prof Dr Muhammad Mukhtar and other participants also presented their valuable thoughts and suggestions. Executive Dean of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Runmin University of China Dr Wang Wen attended the event through video link. In his remarks, he said development of China is a beacon of hope for Pakistan. He said being a close friend and neighbour, Pakistan has the potential to be the prime beneficiary of development prospects in China. Other speakers said that with cooperation of China, Pakistan has the potential to uplift its IT, pharmaceutical, bio-technology, small and medium-sized enterprises, agriculture, communications, and other sectors.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak China