Beijing, September 27, 2025: The 14th meeting of the Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) concluded in Beijing on Friday, marking the formal launch of CPEC Phase-II. While long-standing disputes over capacity payments to Chinese power producers remained unresolved, officials hailed the session as a milestone in deepening cooperation.
Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said the next stage of CPEC would transform the project into a corridor of “industrialisation, technology, sustainability, and shared prosperity.” He identified five priority areas for Phase-II — innovation, green development, livelihood, industrialisation, and regional connectivity — integrated with Pakistan’s URAAN 5Es framework of Exports, E-Pakistan, Energy & Environment, and Equity & Empowerment.
The September 2025 action plan includes ambitious goals including development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), agricultural modernization, mining and maritime projects, modernisation of the ML-1 railway line, Karakoram Highway realignment and continued progress in Gwadar.
However, financing hurdles persist. Talks over extending repayment terms for Chinese Independent Power Producers (IPPs) yielded no breakthrough, with Beijing linking future commitments — including financing for ML-1 — to Pakistan’s adherence to IMF programme requirements.
Addressing Vice Chairman of China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) Zhou Haibing and Chinese delegates, Ahsan Iqbal stressed that the JCC should serve as a forum for forward planning, not just progress reviews. He proposed holding JCC meetings every six months and convening Joint Working Groups quarterly for the first three years of Phase-II.
The minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to the security of all CPEC projects and Chinese nationals. Both sides agreed to publish an updated CPEC long-term plan within 90 days, aligning Pakistan’s 5Es with CPEC’s five new corridors.
Calling CPEC a symbol of the “iron-clad friendship” between Pakistan and China, Iqbal said the initiative goes beyond infrastructure to represent innovation, connectivity, and regional stability. He proposed hosting the 15th JCC in Islamabad in May 2026 to coincide with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
