A decade of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor: New opportunities brought by Chinese modernization

Editor's note: The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) commences from Kashgar, a city in China's Xinjiang, and terminates at the port city of Gwadar in Pakistan. Covering a distance of 3,000 kilometers, this corridor is a significant undertaking that has benefited over a billion people and serves as a symbol of the Belt and Road collaboration. This year marks a decade since the launch of the CPEC project, which has bolstered trade between Kashgar and China's neighboring countries and had a positive impact on Pakistan and the surrounding regions over the past ten years.

The Sahiwal Power Plant and Port Qasim Power Plant have contributed to one-third of Pakistan's power generation, while the Matiari-Lahore high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission and other power transmission initiatives have significantly alleviated electricity shortages. As a result, the country now has ample installed power capacity to cater to domestic demand. Furthermore, the Sahiwal Power Station project has achieved superior gas emission performance compared to local standards.

Notably, the Karot Hydropower Plant is China's first overseas hydropower project that employs solely Chinese technologies and standards.