Summary Pakistan-China Economic Corridor upgrade opens new opportunities for business growth
ISLAMBAD (Dunya News) – The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) 2.0 is expected to pave the way for a new wave of joint ventures between Pakistan and China in agriculture, industry and mining, according to Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) Commercial Ambassador Adeel Munawar.
Speaking in Lahore, Munawar welcomed Beijing’s commitment to upgrading the flagship corridor initiative to its “2.0 version” and praised Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong for reaffirming China’s support for deeper strategic cooperation with Pakistan. He assured the full support of the Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the implementation of upcoming CPEC 2.0 projects.
Highlighting the achievements of the corridor so far, Munawar said CPEC has already brought more than $25.9 billion in direct investment to Pakistan, generated over 260,000 jobs, added more than 8,000 megawatts of electricity generation capacity and significantly enhanced the country’s infrastructure network.
He also thanked the Chinese Embassy for accelerating work on major joint projects, including the Karakoram Highway Phase-II realignment. Alongside large-scale infrastructure development, he noted that China continues to expand “small yet beautiful” welfare initiatives focused on education and water supply, particularly in Balochistan.
Munawar expressed satisfaction over Ambassador Jiang’s emphasis on multilateral cooperation and closer coordination between Islamabad and Beijing on regional and international issues. He said both countries would continue supporting reforms aimed at strengthening global governance frameworks.
The PCJCCI representative further underlined Pakistan’s strategic importance as the shortest and most efficient trade route connecting China and the Central Asian Republics through Gwadar Port. According to him, this position strengthens regional connectivity, trade integration and future economic cooperation.
He also pointed to the untapped potential of Pakistan’s Indus Delta region, describing it as a promising area for hydrocarbon exploration and long-term energy security. Munawar noted that a joint expedition conducted by the Pakistan Navy’s Hydrographical Department and the China Geological Survey had identified encouraging prospects within Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), indicating the possible presence of substantial oil and gas reserves.
He added that a third survey is expected to take place this year, a development that could support future drilling activities and the eventual extraction of hydrocarbon resources from the region.
