Chinese Embassy shares progress on CPEC projects
Wali’s note to this story
CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) projects are being completed at a fast, or breakneck, speed (being fondly called Punjab Speed or Sahiwal Speed in China), with all political and military stakeholders being brought on board, in-country roadblocks being removed, official red-tape being fought and scale of construction being achieved.
Forty early-harvest projects will be seeing completion one after the other by 2018.
To see CPEC timeline of significant developments as and when these happen, follow our lead story:
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor: A timeline
Or if you prefer, here’s a live Twitter feed by a Chinese Embassy official on the pictorial progress of various projects.
BREAKING: Following an unusual series of tweets earlier this week, Zhao Lijian, Deputy Chief of Mission at Chinese Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, returned to Twitter today with a series of tweets on the progress of various projects in CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor).
Zhao’s tweets are a preemptive measure of containing uncertainty and misinformation being hurled at CPEC in print, broadcast and social media.
The tweets are also a message to various stakeholders that China is a serious business.
On two occasions, Chinese Embassy issued a press release conveying that CPEC is for the benefit of the whole country and that its progress needs not to be jeopardised.
On both occasions, the message was regarding the Western route of CPEC.
One press release was as recent as this week where a remark attributed to Chinese ambassador Sun Weidong telling KPK Chief Minister Pervez Khattak that the Western route was not included in CPEC was termed as “untrue and misinformation.”
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Have you seen other CPEC stories on this blog?
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor: A timeline
16 CPEC projects in Balochistan, 8 in KPK: Chinese Embassy
3 news reports about CPEC termed false in one day by China far too many?
40 CPEC projects in 4 photos & 60 seconds
CPEC gets 4-layer security as Gwadar to be weapon-free
Zhao quotes various local media reports to give a big-picture view of the progress on each project. He also uses reports from international trade blogs and company newsletters.
Here are Zhao Lijian’s tweets:
Report on progress on CPEC I: Port Qasim Power Plant https://t.co/ryDGHhjvvO
— Muhammad Lijian Zhao (@zlj517) October 9, 2016
Port Qasim coal-fired power plant: CPEC’s first project witnesses emphatic progress on ground
Source: Pakistan Today | By Mian Abrar
Report on progress on CPEC 2 https://t.co/Az8R1rCnJO
— Muhammad Lijian Zhao (@zlj517) October 9, 2016
Sahiwal coal fired power plant to become the first CPEC project to be completed
Source: Pakistan Today | By Mian Abrar
In two more tweets, Zhao quotes The News report headlined: ‘Sahiwal coal power project to complete in 2017: CM’ and his own tweet headlined: ‘Sahiwal speed is terrific’: 70% work is done at Sahiwal coal power plant under CPEC. It’s one of the fastest even by China standards.
Report on CPEC projects 5: Dawood wind farm to complete this year https://t.co/uGsDHicCZI
— Muhammad Lijian Zhao (@zlj517) October 9, 2016
50MW Dawood wind power plant under construction in Sindh under CPEC. This will be operational in August-November this year.
Report on CPEC projects 6: 4 Wind farms in Sindh are under construction https://t.co/jr0fihIzUS
— Muhammad Lijian Zhao (@zlj517) October 9, 2016
50MW Metro wind power plant under construction at Jhimpir, Thatta District, Sindh
Report on CPEC projects 7: M-5 inaugurated https://t.co/oxlljw3ddC
— Muhammad Lijian Zhao (@zlj517) October 9, 2016
PM performs groundbreaking of M-5 Sukkur-Multan Motorway
Source: Express Tribune
Report on CPEC projects 8: KKH phase II will be a new route https://t.co/zhQezM7oyr
— Muhammad Lijian Zhao (@zlj517) October 9, 2016
PM inaugurates Havelian-Thakot Motorway in Mansehra. KKH Phase II will be a new route.
Source: Dawn
More about OBOR & China on this blog:
China’s world-reshaping $225B One Belt, One Road (OBOR)
The World Bank, meet your challenger: China-led AIIB
How China overtakes the US economy
With a parade, China announces itself as the next superpower: TIME
Xi Jinping: most powerful Chinese leader since Mao Zedong
Report on CPEC projects 9: Gwadar Free Zone inaugurated and Gwadar primary school completed https://t.co/ihU0iKWEBq
— Muhammad Lijian Zhao (@zlj517) October 9, 2016
PM inaugurates CPEC projects in Gwadar
Source: Dawn
Report on CPEC projects 11: Thar coal plant inaugurated https://t.co/HkoeDZvV72
— Muhammad Lijian Zhao (@zlj517) October 9, 2016
Sindh Engro Thar coal project inaugurated
Also: Thar coal project achieves financial close | The News
Report on CPEC projects 12: Karot is first project by Silk Road Fund https://t.co/volQKuV7g1
— Muhammad Lijian Zhao (@zlj517) October 9, 2016
Karot in Pakistan to be first hydropower project financed by China’s Silk Road Fund
Source: hydroworld.com | By By Elizabeth Ingram
Report on CPEC projects 14: Solar plant phase I is completed https://t.co/gHaoU3A6kk
— Muhammad Lijian Zhao (@zlj517) October 9, 2016
Zonergy plugs in 300MW solar park in Pakistan
Source: renewables.seenews.com | by Militsa Mancheva
Report on CPEC projects 15: fiber optic cable project started https://t.co/M718CUbVtt
— Muhammad Lijian Zhao (@zlj517) October 9, 2016
Pakistan PM inaugurates fibre-optic cable project
Source: globaltelecomsbusiness.com
Report on CPEC projects 6: 16 projects are under construction or been completed https://t.co/ywx6OhiPbU
— Muhammad Lijian Zhao (@zlj517) October 9, 2016
In a summary tweet above, Zhao mentions that 16 projects are under construction or have been completed and that $14 billion have already been invested.
As a China watcher for nearly 30 years, Wali’s comment:
Make no mistake: China is no USA.
The hyper-speed with which China is reshaping the world through its $225-billion OBOR Initiative and soon-to-be 90-member $100-billion AIIB and extending its trade and influence to all parts of Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Southeast Asia, South Asia and Africa is unprecedented. This vision requires that no roadblocks come in China’s way. It’s as simple.
And China knows how to play hardball. With each stakeholder in each country.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Wali Zahid
Too dazzling to believe: this is on September 25. A Chinese ship named Tianfu docking at Gwadar. Gwadar will receive many more ships like it pic.twitter.com/xds2j0iyid
— Muhammad Lijian Zhao (@zlj517) October 12, 2016
25 Sept: A Chinese ship named Tianfu is docking at Gwadar.
Small & beautiful: 1st project completed under CPEC(part6): Chinese company COPHC in Pak China School Gwadar, distributed books to students. pic.twitter.com/XrY5DMsInp
— Muhammad Lijian Zhao (@zlj517) October 23, 2016
23 Oct: First project completed under CPEC. Chinese firm COPHC distributes books to students in Pak-China School Gwadar.
Chinese firm XCMG, 5th largest construction machinery company in the world, launched its branch company in Islamabad on October 28 pic.twitter.com/7QHiWP7LUZ
— Muhammad Lijian Zhao (@zlj517) October 28, 2016
28 Oct: Chinese firm XCMG, the 5th largest construction machinery company in the world, launches its branch office in Islamabad.
Another big Chinese ship at Gwadar port with 20000 tons of cement, trucks, bulldozers, dumpers and other construction materials (part 1) pic.twitter.com/7cwWlIoSKM
— Muhammad Lijian Zhao (@zlj517) October 28, 2016
28 Oct: Another Chinese ship arrives at Gwadar carrying 20,000 tons of construction materials including trucks, bulldozers, dumpers for Gwadar Free Zone.
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CPEC is a proven part of the revival of silk route.
Ancient Silk route was the main lifeline for the all associated countries.
So it’s not a new thing …..just a revival, a true intention and leadership is required to revitalize it.
We’ll that was a good report or completed and ongoing projects I also wanted to quote that worlds biggest solar power project in Bahawalpur Punjab has been completed !! I hope that cpec will continue to complete all the projects in balochistan, Sindh , kpk , Punjab and azk and Gilgit at a rapid fast speed and this will end our days of energy crisis and will help us to build a Ritter economy till 2020 may ALLAH help us Pakistan zindabaad !
Hope n pray, no any conspiracy could jeopardize the CPEC future. Like to see Pakistan as the savior of the the muslim world and the humanity at large.