CPEC alone cannot accommodate all Pakistanis: Chinese scholar

Dean of the Institute of International Relations, Tsinghua University, Beijing, Prof. Dr. Yan Xuetong has said that although CPEC will be equally beneficial for Pakistan and China, yet CPEC alone cannot accommodate all Pakistanis.
Yan Xuetong who is head of a visiting Chinese delegation expressed these views at Karachi Council on Foreign Relations, here on Saturday. He was of the view that economic stability is vital for prosperity and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor would be beneficial for both countries. He said CPEC is a very important mega project. He said although the two neighbouring countries are committed to make it success, yet CPEC is facing lot of challenges.
"We all should work to reduce negativity about this mega project which is equally beneficial for both the friendly countries," he urged, asserting that CPEC would be equally beneficial for Pakistan. Chinese delegation head made clear that Pakistan should not rely solely on CPEC project because CPEC alone cannot accommodate all 200 Pakistanis.
Senior Chinese scholar disagreed with the public perception in Pakistan think that China would be the major beneficiary of CPEC project, saying that it is not reality because many ordinary people in China too think the CPEC project is very expensive for China.
"I think these perceptions are not correct and the CPEC project is very important and beneficial for both China and Pakistan," he said. Answering a question about Gwadar Port, the head of the Chinese delegation said this port would be a major hub for imports and exports for Pakistan and China. He said he anticipated Gwadar port would be exporting more Pakistani products than Chinese. He stressed that to make CPEC a success is very important for Pakistan and China and failure of this mega project would tarnish the image of both neighbouring countries.
"Pakistani manufacturing companies must focus on producing quality products because Pakistan's cheap labour reduces the cost of products," he urged, citing that in the past, labour was very cheap in China; but, now their salaries have increased manifold. He said soaring cost of labour has forced Chinese companies to shift their businesses out of China.
Speaking on the occasion, the former chairman KCFR Shahid Amin said security situation in Pakistan has improved and it is much better now as compared to previous decade. Now Pakistan is a safe country for all foreign investors. He hoped new government would take steps to stabilise economic situation.
KCFR chairman Admiral Shahid Karimullah (retd.) briefed the guest about political, economic and security situation in the country. Ahsan Mukhtar Zubairi, secretary general and chief executive of KCFR offered the guest to sign memorandum of understanding to promote bilateral relations between Pakistan and China. He said KCFR had signed MoU with various thinks tanks of different countries. Hasan Habib, Khalid Mir, Javed Ashraf Hussain and other experts also spoke on the occasion. Later, Shahid Karimullah and Ahsan Zubairi presented a shield to the guest.