by Fatima Javed 

 

 

ISLAMABAD, Dec. 29 (Gwadar Pro) – Pakistan-China Institute (PCI) hosted an extraordinary 9-Nation Conference on Regional Economic connectivity themed on “Belt and Road Cooperation: Promoting People-to-People Bond” on December 28th 2021.  

 

The Webinar was attended by the representatives from “Friends of Silk Road” organizations of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand plus representatives of think-tanks from Indonesia, Philippines and China.

 

Claiming the ‘Asian Century’ needs Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for progress, the speakers, representing various walks of life called for strengthening multilateral cooperation, promoting BRI as it represents shared interests of Asian countries.

 

They also put forth suggestions for high quality development of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) through exchanges and consultations. The nine countries agreed to institutionalize their interaction, counter disinformation and fake news, and reject any notion of a ‘New Cold War’.

 

Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman of Senate Defence Committee & Pakistan-China Institute said that BRI, through CPEC benefits the people. He said that BRI is not directed against any country and termed it as a win-win model of cooperation, since it is inclusive and aims to promote connectivity.

 

The year 2021, he remarked, was an important year in the history of Communist Party of China since it marked the centenary of CPC and the year when China eliminated absolute poverty.

 

He also lauded China’s successful containment of the COVID-19 pandemic and its vaccine help to other countries which saved millions of lives plus China’s leadership on Climate Change.

 

Professor Wang Yiwei, Director of Institute of International Affairs, Renmin University of China, said that the post-pandemic era is all about adaptation to the ‘New Normal’.

 

He said that in these challenging times, multilateralism is the only way forward, and BRI can be taken as a blueprint to advance multilateralism. He also welcomed China’s Zero Coal policy, which, he maintained, will help in fighting the looming threat of Climate Change.

 

The webinar was moderated by Mustafa Hyder Sayed, Executive Director of PCI. He said that “Friends of Silk Road Pakistan” since its launch in 2019, has provided both a better understanding and information about benefits and numerous opportunities arising out of the BRI through CPEC.

 

BRI, he said, has provided an alternate development model to developing countries for promoting human development, which, before BRI, were dependent on the West and its institutions.

 

He also termed BRI a consensus-oriented initiative based on people-centered development. Moreover, he lauded Communist Party of China for passing an historic resolution during its 6th plenum last month which provided a clear vision for the future.

 

This article originally appeared on Gwadar Pro.