SUZHOU, China: The Beijing-based Chinese National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) Vice Chairman Lian Weiliang has said that the Chinese leadership at the highest level remained committed to further invest in Pakistan’s energy sector for its consolidation and self-sufficiency.
In a meeting with the Federal Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan in Chinese’s Suzhou City on Friday, Lian Weiliang said that Pakistan has great potential to grow and its energy market will witness major expansion in the coming years.
Lian Weiliang said that China would continue to complement Pakistan’s efforts in reforming and expanding its energy sector.
Recognizing the imperatives of further reinforcing ties between two iron brothers, the Vice Chairman NDRC maintained that both Pakistani and China could regularly review the progress of various energy projects and jointly formulate strategies and plans to oversee their speedy and timely execution.
China committed to further invest in Pakistan’s energy sector: Lian Weiliang
Omar Ayub thanked Lian Weiliang for inviting Pakistan’s delegation to attend the Belt and Road Energy Ministerial Conference held in Suzhou yesterday, and hoped that the Conference under China’s visionary leadership would play a critical role in rebuilding and diversifying regional energy landscape.
The minister also took the opportunity to brief his interlocutor about the energy priorities of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. He underlined that just the up-gradation of Pakistan’s distribution system required an investment worth over US $5 billion, while the up-gradation of transmission system would require an even larger size of investment.
The federal minister for energy added that Pakistan’s gross domestic product (GDP) is more than US $300 billion and demand for more electricity consumption was rapidly growing opening up more opportunities for foreign direct investment in the Country.
Omar Ayub also extended the Vice Chairman NDRC Lian Weiliang the invitation to visit Pakistan.