Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, stated on Wednesday that the actual beauty of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is the spirit of sharing, whereby China shares its success with developing countries.
Iqbal stated that BRI “welcomes everyone to collaboratively explore prospects for shared progress and provides developing nations with the most crucial investment to plug gaps in the economy” during the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Meeting 2023 taking place in China.
For instance, China, through the BRI, permitted its companies to invest in the energy sector when no other foreign investors were present when Pakistan was only able to provide electricity for 16 to 18 hours per day, he said.
He continued, “Over the years, China has actively shared its own successful development concepts, models, roads and plans, providing a broad cooperation platform for developing countries and helping promote the building of a community with a shared future for m
Iqbal predicts that the world will experience digitalization and Industry 4.0 in the future.
The wealth divide will increase if digitalization is not accelerated. The BRI’s high-tech and communications firms have accelerated Pakistan’s digital development, paving the way for the use of technology to improve education and simplify daily life.
Only 54 out of 100 people can connect to the Internet, he claimed. “Among 100 people, 94 people can connect physically.”
The federal minister hopes that BRI will help Pakistan introduce more high-tech and communication companies, providing more people with the possibility to gain digital connectivity.
The BFA Annual Conference 2023, held from March 28-31 in Boao, Hainan, is under the theme of “An Uncertain World: Solidarity and Cooperation for Development amid Challenges.”
