CPEC emerges as corridor of opportunity for Pakistan: official

ISLAMABAD, July 24 (Xinhua) -- The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has emerged as a corridor of opportunity, traversing vast terrains to connect the warm waters of the Arabian Sea with the rich landscapes of China's western regions, a government official said Monday.

Speaking at a two-day international conference that kicked off here earlier in the day, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, secretary of Pakistan's ministry of planning development and special initiatives, said CPEC has improved connectivity between Pakistan and China, reduced transportation costs, and increased trade efficiency.

Themed "Decade of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) from Vision to Reality" to mark the 10th anniversary of CPEC, the conference aims to exchange ideas and insights related to economic, social, environmental, and geopolitical impacts of CPEC and the BRI.

Addressing the event, Chairman of Pakistan's Higher Education Commission Mukhtar Ahmed said that Pakistan and China are cooperating in several significant initiatives in the field of higher education and research.

"CPEC has evolved from a visionary concept to a reality of immense importance for Pakistan," he said, adding that China is helping Pakistani students meet their dreams by giving them opportunities of studying in China through scholarships in various fields.