BEIJING(National times)- Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal on Friday said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will usher in a new era of development, especially for the youth. Under the framework of the CPEC, the 14th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting began in Beijing, attended by ministers, officials from line ministries, and experts from both countries. The meeting is being co-chaired by the planning ministers of Pakistan and China. Addressing the inaugural session, Iqbal said that Pakistan and China are “iron brothers” bound by trust and a shared destiny, and that CPEC Phase Two will bring about a new era of progress for the people, particularly the youth. He highlighted that in CPEC Phase One, 8,000 megawatts of electricity were added, 888 kilometers of highways were built, and projects for the development of Gwadar were completed, transforming it from a small fishing town into Pakistan’s maritime gateway. The modernization of ML-1 will breathe new life into the railway system. Iqbal further said that 10,000 PhD scholarships and innovation centers will be established for Pakistani youth. Reforms will also be introduced in underdeveloped districts by learning from China’s poverty alleviation model. He added that proposals have been made to establish export-oriented Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Karachi and Islamabad. Phase Two of CPEC will include agricultural reforms, electric vehicle projects, a mining corridor, and border markets. The minister announced that a 300-megawatt solar project in Gilgit-Baltistan will help eliminate load-shedding. CPEC’s five corridors—Growth, Innovation, Green, Livelihood, and Regional Connectivity—will give a new dimension to Pakistan’s economy. He also declared that Pakistan aims to produce 60% of its energy from clean sources by 2030. Under the Digital Silk Road, 5G, fiber optic, and data centers will be established, along with joint AI and quantum laboratories. He assured that Pakistan places the highest priority on the security of CPEC projects and Chinese personnel.