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CPEC's work remains uninterrupted during coronavirous: Says Chinese diplomat
February 19, 2020
Islamabad, Feb. 19 (INP): Chinese Consul General Long Dingbin said the work on CPEC's projects remain uninterrupted in wake of coronavirous epidemic.
In interview with the Economic Daily-China Economic Net, on novel coronavirus infection, Long said that China is doing its best to prevent and control the pneumonia epidemic and keep up the pace of development work.
The Chinese Consulate General Lahore was designated officials to contact the person in charge of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project in the consular area to ensure that no epidemic occurs on the project site and that the project is completed as scheduled.
Chinese employees insist on construction during Spring Festival, countering rumors of project shutdown Long said that since the outbreak of the epidemic in China, CPEC has become the focus of attention of all parties, and some rumors of suspension of CPEC projects have been raised.
The Consulate General maintains close communication with the corridor projects in the consular area, especially the “Orange Line” project and Matiari to Lahore ±660kV HVDC Transmission Line Project.
" We learned that these projects still on construction during the Chinese Spring Festival. And this means the reports of CPEC ptojects were suspended are not true.
We will strictly abide by the regulations on the prevention and control of the epidemic in Pakistan and take effective measures to protect the staff of both sides to ensure that no epidemic occurs at the project site and the project is completed as scheduled, " he added.
The Chinese consulate general will actively support and help the project in dealing with the shortage of manpower and the problems of visa application, Long said.
He pointed out that in order to prevent outbreaks in Pakistan, the Chinese Embassy and Consulate General in Pakistan has carried out a lot of work an increased supervision of Chinese citizens returning to Pakistan after the Luna new year..
First, make sure that the above personnel are not from Hubei. Second, it is required to delay the time of going to Pakistan as far as possible. Those who really need to go to Pakistan in the near future have to spend 14-day quarantine period at home prior to their departure and also to spend another 14-day quarantine period after their arrival.
The Chinese Consulate General in Lahore use its website and WeChat to promptly release prevention and control notices such as the specific measures for Chinese citizens to prevent the epidemic and the standard operating procedures announced by Pakistan.
It has also set up a registration and reporting system for people from China to Punjab Province, required Chinese-funded institutions and Chinese citizens to file information of people who have come to Punjab or planned to visit Pakistan since the end of December, conduct self-quarantine, and update the information daily on the WeChat platform.
Long emphasized that China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners and "iron brothers" and have tradition of mutual support and helping each other.
He noted that the Pakistani leadership highly appreciates China's measures to combat the coronavirus.
Since the outbreak of the epidemic, the Pakistani government has mobilized medical supplies nationwide to support China, once again highlighting the all-weather friendship between the two countries.
China highly appreciates the adoption of relevant resolutions by Pakistan, and will continue to strengthen cooperation with Pakistan in an open and transparent manner to jointly safeguard regional public health security. It will also continue to take good care of Pakistani and other foreign personnel in China and treat them as per with the Chinese citizens. Chinese people will overcome the epidemic, China-Pakistan all-round cooperation may achieve greater progress.
After the outbreak of the epidemic, Chinese-funded institutions and overseas Chinese in Punjab took active actions to help each other, which deeply moved me, Long said. In spite of the ruthless disease, there is love on earth. At this critical juncture, the forces of mutual assistance are gathering.
He believes that with the end of the epidemic, China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partners will be further enhanced, and bilateral all-round cooperation will quickly resume and even achieve greater development.
INP/javed
