According to ParsToday, in order to address the energy crisis, China and Pakistan have signed an agreement to build a 1,263 MW gas-fired power plant in Pakistan.
According to IRNA, the Chief Minister of Pakistan's Punjab Province, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, announced that an agreement has been signed with China to build a 1,263 MW gas-fired power plant in the city of Jhang in the province.
The project is one of dozens of projects, including roads, railways, power transmission lines and power plants, implemented within the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) plan, valued at US$50 billion. According to Chinese officials, the project will be completed in 2025.
Pakistani Foreign Minister: Pakistan is satisfied with the progress of CPEC projects
Asif stated that the achievements of CPEC projects have further enriched the comprehensive economic cooperation between the two countries. Pakistan is satisfied with the advancement of CPEC projects.
He pointed out that CPEC is a flagship project of China's "Belt and Road" initiative, aimed at achieving common prosperity. The implementation of the project will help various regions of China and Pakistan further strengthen cooperation and achieve common development, and will also further promote the connectivity construction of roads, railways and ports in Pakistan.
Asif said that connectivity and economic development are crucial to the prosperity of the region. Pakistan will take responsibility and address some of the threats facing CPEC.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is 3,000 kilometers long, connecting the "Silk Road Economic Belt" in the north and the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road" in the south. It is a key hub linking the northern and southern Silk Roads, a trade corridor including roads, railways, oil and gas pipelines and optical cable channels, and an important part of China's "Belt and Road" initiative.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang previously stated at a regular press conference that the construction of CPEC has progressed smoothly overall and has entered the stage of full implementation. The two sides have planned 17 priority projects in the energy sector, of which 11 have successively started construction, and the vast majority of the projects will be completed by the end of 2019. By then, Pakistan's current domestic energy shortage will be greatly alleviated.