CCLS Seminar Series: “Celebrating 11 Years of CPEC: Connecting Nations, Building Futures”
The Centre for Chinese Legal Studies (CCLS) at LUMS hosted a seminar titled ‘Celebrating 11 Years of CPEC: Connecting Nations, Building Futures’ marking the 11th anniversary of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The seminar featured insightful addresses from esteemed speakers like Dr. Hassan Daud Butt, Former CEO KP BOIT, and Dr. Safdar Ali Shah, Director General of CPEC HEC. Faculty and students from LUMS also participated in the seminar, engaging in discussions that focused on how CPEC can tackle the challenges and can further unlock its potential for regional development and prosperity.
The seminar commenced with welcome remarks by Dr. Sikandar Ahmed Shah, Director of CCLS, initiating a discussion on the decade-long journey of CPEC. He highlighted the positive and transformative contributions of CPEC to Pakistan's socio-economic development, evident in the nation's infrastructural advancements, economic growth, and enhanced connectivity with global markets.
Dr. Safdar Ali Shah, Director General of CPEC HEC, provided a comprehensive overview of the progress made by education institutions of China and Pakistan in building strong academic linkages under the umbrella of the CPEC consortium of universities. He also highlighted the establishment of the China Pakistan Higher Education Research Institute, which aims to promote high-quality academic research between the two countries. Additionally, he discussed future joint research projects between China and Pakistan, including proposals for establishing a China-Pakistan Joint Research Centre on Earth Sciences. The speaker further outlined many talent cultivation programs under CPEC through dual degree programs, post-doctoral trainings, and study abroad opportunities in China for Pakistani faculty, showcasing mutual benefits for this collaboration.
Dr. Hassan Daud Butt provided insights into the debate surrounding the peak of American power versus the rise of China, highlighting the need to seek solutions to avoid long-term economic damage and foster recovery. He also discussed China's increasing engagement in sectors like electricity transmission and investments under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and while delineating the developmental objectives of the CPEC across three distinct periods. He highlighted the need for effective coordination between Chinese industries and Pakistani manpower to ensure sustainable development within these three times frames. Furthermore, Dr. Hassan highlighted plans for the Arabian Sea CAREC corridor and the master planning of Gwadar, including initiatives such as establishing an oil city and developing aquaculture for fisheries and seafood.