(People’s Daily/BRNN/GSF) – The China-Pakistan Information Corridor (CPIC) was launched in Islamabad on Monday as a platform for media cooperation, business links, research and people-to-people exchanges.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said CPIC will help deepen mutual understanding and strengthen China-Pakistan friendship by introducing more and better stories about bilateral cooperation. She described its launch as necessary and timely in countering misinformation.
“We already have Karakoram Highway, which connects our mountains and lands. With CPIC, we’ll build a digital one, which connects our hearts and minds,” she said.
Illustrating her point about storytelling, Mao cited Nida, a 26-year-old woman working as a driver within the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Nida, she said, valued being fearless and showing her capabilities.
“This is an extraordinary story of ordinary people,” Mao said, expressing confidence that CPEC will provide more opportunities for Pakistani women.
Pakistan’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said CPIC comprises four pillars: media; business and enterprise; think tanks; and culture, tourism and youth. He also noted that a dedicated secretariat has been established within his ministry.
Pakistan’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar speaks at the ceremony.
He said a news-exchange working group brings together 18 Pakistani and Chinese media organizations, including the People’s Daily, to share verified news. A fact-checking mechanism is also in place.
The business pillar has opened a regional office in Karachi and developed a trade portal to track trade and investment. Think tank cooperation will promote joint dialogue, research and publications with Chinese counterparts.
Work is also underway on a tourism corridor linking Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Gilgit-Baltistan. CPIC youth ambassadors from 13 universities across Pakistan have been nominated, he said.
“If CPEC connects our economies, CPIC will connect our understanding,” Tarar said.
He said it will provide “a more effective communication platform” for both countries to share stories of their own development and shared progress.
The ceremony, held at the Pakistan-China Friendship Centre, drew 600 participants, including government officials, diplomats, former ambassadors, businesspeople, media and think tank representatives, students and young people.
The event also featured Pakistani and Chinese cultural performances, marking 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
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