China's overland Silk Road and Maritime Silk Road Thread

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China to solely fund Pakistan’s railway project

Pakistan refuses part financing from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) following China interest
Islamabad: Pakistan has refused part financing from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for its Karachi-Peshawar rail line following China’s interest in “single-handedly funding the project”.

“China strongly argued that two-sourced financing would create problems and the project would suffer,” Pakistan’s Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal was on Friday quoted by Dawn news as saying.

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Work on 34,859 MW hydro power projects ‘under way’

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ISLAMABAD - Around 22 dams/hydropower projects having cumulative capacity of 34,859 megawatts (MW) are either under construction, ready for construction or under planning.

Upon completion, these projects will contribute significantly to energy supply in the country. Realizing the importance of hydropower in overall production of electricity in the country, the present government took a number of initiatives to increase its percentage and meet the growing needs.

According to the data released by the Ministry of Water and Power on Sunday, currently feasibility and engineering design studies for numerous hydropower projects (HPP) with cumulative installed generation capacity of over 25,000 MW are in hand with Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA). The data shows that there are seven under construction projects, which include Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project with installed capacity of 969 MW and its overall physical progress is 90 per cent.

Tarbela 4th extension project is 1,410 MW and its overall physical progress is 76 per cent. Golden Gol HPP is 106 MW and its overall physical progress is 65 per cent.

Moreover, Diamer Basha Dam is of 4,500 MW and present status of the project is that construction of infrastructure/preliminary works, including project colony at Thor valley and Composite Model Village-II at Harpan Das are in progress whereas work on Karakorum Highway (KKH) Bypass is held up since December 2015 due to boundary dispute between Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

Financing strategy for implementation of Diamer Basha Dam project was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Energy on November 30, 2016 and in light of financing strategy, WAPDA submitted two PC-Is to this ministry - one for the Dam part has been submitted to the Planning Commission on March 24, 2017 for its onward submission to appropriate forum. The PC-I for Power Generation Part is currently under process in the ministry.

According to the financing strategy, dam & pre-requisites will be implemented through Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) grants plus WAPDA's arranged financing whereas power generation facilities shall be implemented through local/foreign loans plus WAPDA's arranged financing.

Construction of infrastructure/preliminary works of Diamer Bhasha Dam Project i.e. Project Colony at Thore Valley, Composite Model Village-II at Harpan Das are in progress. Further, 85% of the land for the project has been acquired.

The other project - Kurram Tangi Dam (KTDP) Stage-I (Kaitu Weir Irrigation and Power Project) - is of 18.9 MW. The contract agreement has been signed with M/s FWO-DESCON JV on June 07, 2016. The contractor mobilized at the site on July 1, 2016. Pre-construction activities are in progress and PC-I for KTDP Stage-II is under submission for approval.

Keyal Khwar project is of 128 MW and second revised PC-I was approved by ECNEC on January 29, 2016. Preparatory works are in progress and the contractor for KKHPP-02 (Civil Works) has mobilised. Tendering for Contract KKHPP-03 (E&M Works) is in process and overall physical progress is 10 per cent.

Dasu HPP (Stage-I) project is of 2,160 MW for which PC-I was approved by ECNEC on March 28, 2014. For land acquisition Rs 23 million has been disbursed to affectees of Zaal and Uchar area so far. Payments against remaining priority areas required for preparatory and main works will be disbursed shortly after completion of land acquisition formalities being in process.

Regarding preparatory works, three contracts have been awarded to Chinese contractors related to roads IKKH-01 & RAR-01) and Transmission Line (TL-01). Contracts for Project Colony (PCI-01R) and Resettlement Villages (Dasu-RV) have been terminated due to fundamental breach of contract and re-invited with bid opening on March 1 and 2, 2017 respectively. Contract Agreement for Contract: RAR-02 is in final stage and will be signed shortly.

Evaluation of Bid for Resettlement Sites Contracts (LBRV-II, LBRV-12 & RBRV-12) is in progress. For Main Civil Works (MW-01 & MW-02), contract agreement for MW-01 and MW-02 has been signed on March 8, 2017 and contractor is likely to be mobilized in June 2017.

There are three ready for construction projects, which include Harpo HPP of 34.5 MW. For this project PC-I amounting to Rs 9,523 million was approved by ECNEC on March 28, 2014. Hiring of consultants is in process.

Tarbela 5th Extension is of 1,410 MW for which PC-I approved on December 20, 2016 amounting to Rs 82,362 million. Hiring of consultants is in process and pre-qualification of civil and E & M works is in process.

For Kalabagh Dam, which is of 3,600 MW, detailed design and tender documents have been completed in 1988. Implementation/ construction work on the project can be started after a consensus decision by the government.

The data showed that there are 12 under planning projects which include Bunji HPP, which is of 7,100 MW. Feasibility study and detailed engineering design have been completed while PC-I is under approval from the Planning Commission. Phandar HPP is of 80 MW for which detailed engineering design has been completed while PC-I is under approval in Ministry of Water & Power.

The other project is Middle Spat Gah HPP which is of 496 MW. Ministry of Water & Power cleared PC-I on July 25, 2014 and forwarded it to Planning Commission on September 12, 2014 for approval.

Mohmand Dam project is of 800 MW for which detailed engineering design & preparation of tender documents have been prepared and PC-I is under review. Concept paper for arrangement of financing from local and foreign institutions, including supplier's credit, has been submitted to Ministry of Water & Power on March 10, 2017 for onward submission to Economic Affairs Division (EAD).

Upper Spat Gah HPP is of 252 MW for which pre-feasibility study has been completed. Thakot HPP is another project is of 4,000 MW, whose feasibility study is in process. Patan HPP is of 2,200 MW for which feasibility study has been completed.

Basho HPP is of 40 MW for which updation of feasibility has been completed. Implementation of Basho HPP will be taken up in Phase-II after completion of Harpo HPP as per preference of the GB government. Yalbo HPP is of 2,800 MW for which PC-II for feasibility study is under preparation. Tungus HPP is of 2,200 MW for which PC-II for feasibility study is under preparation.

Upper Palas Valley HPP is of 157 MW whose pre-feasibility study has been completed while Middle Palas Valley HPP is of 398 MW for which pre-feasibility study has been completed.

The data showed that the government is facilitating and encouraging private investors for promoting hydropower generation in the country and has allowed private sector to develop hydropower projects on Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) basis.

Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB), being a one- window facility for private sector power generation, is presently facilitating 15 run-of-the-river hydropower projects having cumulative power generation capacity of 6233 MW.
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East West Corridor: The planning body approved a 7 billion project of construction of 4 –Lane Bridge across River Indus connecting Kallur Kot Bhakkar with Dhakki area of Dera Ismail Khan. Ahsan Iqbal instructed that the 14 km approach road to the bridge would be constructed by the government of Punjab.It will link Indus Highway N-55 with MM Road

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The Belt and Road Initiative: Towards a Community of Shared Future for Mankind
Speech by Ambassador H.E. Sun Weidong at the Lecture on the Belt and Road Initiative
(3 May 2017, Islamabad)

Welcome to this lecture on the Belt and Road Initiative. China-Pakistan friendship is a model of state-to-state relations nurtured by the peoples of China and Pakistan for decades and generations. It is a common wealth of our two people. We call Pakistan “iron brother” and we are deeply proud of such a unique friendship. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt thanks to all of you for your long-term commitment to China-Pakistan friendship. I also would like to express my sincere thanks to Senator Mushahid Hussain and Pakistan China Institute for their great efforts in deepening China-Pakistan friendship.
On May 14 and 15, Chinese President Xi Jinping will be hosting the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing. Leaders from 28 countries including Pakistan and UN Secretary-General will attend the Forum. There are also representatives from 110 countries and 61 international organizations will participate. Guests from all over the world will gather together and discuss cooperation on the Belt and Road construction under the theme of win-win cooperation. This Forum will leave heavy and beautiful colors to the magnificent scroll of the community of shared future for mankind.
The Belt and Road Initiative is a buzz word in the world now. If you Google “belt and road”, you will get over 115 million results. We often say that the China Pakistan Economic Corridor is a pilot project of the Belt and Road Initiative. I believe Pakistani friends want to have a better understanding about the Belt and Road Initiative, and know what benefits it will bring to Pakistan and the entire region. Today, I would like to take this opportunity to share my views and understanding in this regard.
The first point I want to make is that the Belt and Road Initiative is a great achievement originated from the history of human civilizations exchanges.
In 2013, President Xi Jinping proposed the great ideas of building the Silk Road Economic belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road in Kazakhstan and Indonesia respectively. In general, we call them the Belt and Road Initiative. This initiative has injected a new momentum into the ancient silk road, and has made the connection between Asia, Europe and Africa closer.
As you may know, a British academic, Mr. Peter Frankopan, recently wrote a book name the Silk Roads: a New History of the World. It soon becomes a bestseller in many countries. The book highly praises the history of the silk road, and calls it a condensed global history and a brief history of humanity.
I was impressed by some words in the book. The author said that more than 2,000 years ago, the trade network known as the silk road was established. When President Xi Jinping announced the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, it aroused people's memory about prosperity which used to be familiar to them long time ago.
 
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Over the past thousands of years, China’s four great inventions, namely paper-making, printing, compass, gunpowder, silk, tea, porcelain, medicine were spread to the west along the Silk Road. The pepper, sugar from the South Asian subcontinent, the frankincense and glass from the Arabian Area were brought to China along the Silk Road too. Buddhism was also brought to China and took roots in the land of China. It now becomes an important part of traditional Chinese culture. Silk Road not only enriched the people’s daily life, but also promoted the progress of both Eastern and Western civilization. The Eastern and Western civilization then jointly wrote the splendid history of exchange of the human civilization.
Pakistani friends drink tea, and you call the tea “chay”. It is interesting that we Chinese call the tea “cha”, which has the similar pronunciation. The English word tea has a similar pronunciation to what the China’s southern coastal dialect “Teh”. These two different pronunciation of tea have their different origin.
Some scholars have found that “cha”, “chay” or similar pronunciation could be found in northern China, Mongolia, Central Asian and South Asian countries, and even could be extended to Asia Minor and Russia. It could be traced back to the 8th Century when it was spread through the Silk Road from China to Central Asia, South Asian subcontinent and the Eurasia. The pronunciation of “Tea” was spread from the coastal area of China’s southern Fujian Province to the rest of the world as early as in the 19th century along the maritime trade routes. I think that Pakistani friends should be proud of your pronunciation of “Chay” because you may have tasted the Chinese authentic tea far ahead of the European countries. Imaging more than 1,000 years ago, your ancestors enjoyed the scent and flavor of Chinese tea in hot summer, while the tinkling of camel bells echoes along the Silk Road.
The Belt and Road Initiative follows the historical footprints of our ancestors. It is the revival of the ancient Silk Road. It covers two routes of land and sea of Silk Road, yet the scope is far wider. It opens to the world.
Over the past thousands of years, our ancestors labored, lived and multiplied along the Silk Road, creating and developing the rich and colorful civilization. They were carrying the virtue of peaceful cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning, mutual benefit and win-win spirit. This is the great spirit of the Silk Road. Today, we are building the Belt and Road Initiative so as to make this spirit shining again.
My second point is that the Belt and Road Initiative is based on traditional Chinese culture. Its key words are “peace”, “development” and “cooperation”.
Mr. Peter Frankopan mentioned in his book that, China is better at taking precautions in advance than any other countries, and is more willing to learn about the past of other countries, and draw lessons from history. To achieve this, respect and prudence is very much needed as the Chinese leaders have said. The idea of Belt and Road Initiative meant for the benefit of the world, and it will provide a golden opportunity for deep cooperation. China’s development is peaceful, friendly and civilized. It will benefit rather than threaten other countries.
I think the above words has expressed the essence of Chinese traditional culture. The concept of “harmony and cooperation” is the primary value and the essence of the Chinese culture. The Chinese consider peace as the most precious thing and pursue harmonious inter-state relations. The philosophy that all the people of the world are brothers are deep rooted in Chinese community. The Chinese philosopher Confucius said 2000 years ago that, don’t do unto others what you don’t want others do unto you, and to help others is to help themselves. These ideas have become Chinese people’s motto.
 
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I believe some Pakistani friends may know the story of Zheng He's Voyages. 600 years ago, in the Ming Dynasty of China, the great navigator Zheng was ordered by Chinese Emperor to voyage the western Pacific and the Indian Ocean for seven times from China. He led twenty thousand people and more than two hundred ships with him. They visited more than 30 countries and regions, of which the farthest included the East Africa and the Red Sea. According to Ming History records, the largest boat in Zheng He’s fleet is more than 130 meters in length and 50 meters in width. Its displacement exceeds 10,000 tons. To make a comparison, about half a century later, the Italian navigator Columbus discovered the Americas with the ship Santa Maria, whose displacement is only 100 tons.
Zheng He used the biggest and strongest fleet at that time, to bring trade, civilization, peace and cultural exchange in stead of colonial rule and plunder wherever he arrived. And this is the best embodiment of China's concept of harmony and cooperation .
The Belt and Road Initiative is a Chinese program with the cultural gene of harmony and cooperation. China has implemented the reform and opening up policy for nearly 40 years and more than 700 million people have gotten rid of poverty. When Chinese have lived a better life, we hope that more people of other countries can enjoy a better life as well. We would like to achieve common developments with countries along the Belt and Road and share the results of cooperation.
At present, the China's economic development has entered a new normal state. The growth speed, development pattern, economic structure and development drive are undergoing major changes. In 2016, Chinese GDP growth rate was 6.7%. The increment exceeds the total GDP amount in the past when the growth rate reached double-digit, and is equivalent to the total economy of a medium-sized country. In the first quarter of this year, China's GDP grew by 6.9%, which is the fastest growth rate in the last 6 quarters. Given that the global economy is facing a downturn, it is not easy for China’s economy to maintain a strong momentum of development. The international communities are optimistic about China's prospects and we also have full confidence in our future.
China will continue to achieve an economic growth with a medium and high speed towards a medium high end level. In the next five years, China will import goods amounting 8 trillion US dollars, absorb 600 billion US dollars of foreign investment, and the total amount of foreign investment will reach 750 billion US dollars. The number of Chinese outbound tourism will reach 700 million per year. These will provide a broader market , more sufficient capital and richer products for the rest of the world, and will provide stronger support for the Belt and Road construction. China welcomes all the countries to board China's economic high-speed train to achieve common developments.
My third point is that the Belt and Road Initiative is an important international public goods which will benefit all countries.
On April 29, last Saturday, the first London-Yiwu cargo train arrived at Yiwu city, China after a 19 days journey and a coverage of 12 thousands kilometers across the Asia-Euro continent. This is the first cargo train which takes products made in UK to China by railways. It saved one month time compared to cargo shipping, and 20% cost compared to air transportation. It is one of the freight train connecting China, Spain, Russia, Belarus, Latvia, UK, Central Asian countries, Iran, Afghan now days. Every country along the route could enjoy the benefits from the Belt and Road cooperation.
 
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The Belt and Road Initiative is an important international public goods provided by China. And what is a public goods? It is something consulted, made and shared by all.
Belt and Road Initiative brings the intelligence of all human being together. Its development route is open and inclusive. We oppose any kind of insular and exclusiveness, and believe only openness can bring energy and progress. As President Xi Jinping once said, “China's development has benefited from the international community, and we are ready to provide more public goods to the international community. I have proposed the initiative of building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road to share China's development opportunities with countries along the Belt and Road and achieve common prosperity. ”
The Belt and Road initiative has been widely involved by regional countries and international community. The past three years have witnessed the launching, expansion, faster-than-expected progress and fruitful outcomes of the Belt and Road Initiative. More than 100 countries and international organizations have joined this Initiative, among which over 40 have signed cooperation agreements and MoUs with China.
Belt and Road Initiative currently covers more than 4.3 billion people, with a total economic output of more than 21 trillion US dollars. In 2016, the total foreign trade volume between China and Belt and Road route countries amounted to 1 trillion US dollars. China signed construction contracts worth of 126 billion US dollars, with a growth of 36%. Totally FDI reached 14.5 billion US dollars, accounting for 8.5% of China's total foreign investment. Among these countries, Chinese enterprises have built 56 economic and trade cooperation zones in more than 20 countries, involving more than 18 billion US dollars, creating tax of nearly 1.1 billion US dollars and generating 180,000 direct jobs.
The United Nations General Assembly, the UN Security Council, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, APEC, ASEM and the Great Mekong Sub-region Cooperation have incorporated or reflected the Belt and Road cooperation in their relevant resolutions and documents.
Economic corridors are making steady progress. An interconnected infrastructure network is taking shape. Trade and investment has increased significantly. Key project cooperation is underway, and a number of important early harvests have been made. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and Silk Road Fund have provided firm support to financial cooperation. Belt and Road initiative has become an important undertaking of all parties. It also provided new development opportunities for the enhancement of the well-being of the people.
My fourth point is that the Belt and Road Initiative answers the profound call of the times and leads to the great goal of building a Community of Share Future for Mankind.
At present, with the further deepening of economic globalization, the world becomes inter-dependent in an unprecedented way. However, the world economic recovery is still fragile. There are rising protectionism, louder voices against globalization. The process of global economic integration is under strong challenge. There are two different voices in the international community, one regards economic globalization the trend of the times, the other takes it as fierce floods and savage beasts.
Here I would like to share an ancient Chinese story, it may inspire us on dealing with economic globalization. In the very old times, when there were terrible floods over the Yellow River, the Emperor ordered the father Gun and his son Dayu to tame the flood. Gun tries to block the flood. But no matter how hard he tried, he failed and lost his life finally. Then, his son Dayu learned from his father’s lessons. Instead of making blocks, he made use of the nature of water flow, making dredges and channels, building dams and reservoirs when necessary. Finally, he tamed the flood in success and was recognized as a great hero of China.
Today, facing the opportunities and challenges brought by economic globalization, we need to make choice between Gun and Dayu. Economic globalization brings billions of people from different regions, races, countries and ethnic groups together, optimizes worldwide allocation of resource, promotes international division of labor and promotes development of human civilization in an unprecedented pace. This trend is unstoppable just as thousands of rivers go down to the ocean. Any attempt to cut off the flow of capital, technologies, products, industries and people between economies, and channel the waters in the ocean back into isolated lakes and creeks is simply not possible. Indeed, it runs counter to the historical trend.
 
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