Video conference held between Pakistani Prime Minister and State Grid Executive Chairman

On November 2, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif held a video conference with Xin Baoan, Executive Chairman of State Grid Corporation of China. They carried out in-depth exchanges on energy cooperation in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the development of the Belt and Road Initiative. Heads of relevant departments of the Pakistani government also attended the meeting.

Shahbaz pointed out that, the Belt and Road Initiative has been a great help to Pakistan’s economic and social development. As an important pilot project of the initiative, the CPEC has helped Pakistan modernize its infrastructure, address its energy shortage, and connect its markets, production centers and ports, creating high-quality jobs for Pakistani people. State Grid is an outstanding enterprise with significant global influence. It is not only a model of innovative development, but also a model of addressing climate changes and fulfilling social responsibility. What’s more, it has accumulated rich experience in improving energy transmission efficiency and promoting clean and low-carbon energy transformation. Over the years, State Grid has actively participated in the construction of Pakistan’s power infrastructure and played an important role in promoting the regional economic development of China and Pakistan and expanding the cooperation between the two countries in the energy and power sector. Today, Pakistan is making efforts to build a more efficient energy and power transmission system to reduce transmission losses and improve energy and resource utilization efficiency. It is hoped that State Grid will make full use of its advantages in technologies, standards and equipment to explore and solve more technical challenges together with Pakistan and to strengthen cooperation in the construction of the power grid infrastructure and renewable energy projects such as solar energy, wind energy, and hydropower. Pakistan will further provide policy support for State Grid’s investment and development in Pakistan.

Xin Baoan thanked Shahbaz for his very kind comments and support and briefly gave an overview of the company. He said that since nine years ago when the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed, it has been understood and recognized by the vast majority of the countries and achieved many tangible results. As a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, the CPEC has become a landmark of China-Pakistan cooperation, bringing significant economic and social benefits. It’s an honor for State Grid to be able to participate in this project and play an active role. In September 2021, the ±660 kV Matiari-Lahore DC transmission line witnessed by the heads of China and Pakistan was officially completed and put into operation, which promoted the leapfrog of Pakistan’s backbone power grid and serves as the main transmission line to transmit electricity from the south to the north. Over the past year, it has transmitted a total of 14.6 TWh electricity, effectively meeting the needs of 10 million households in the Lahore area. The Matiari-Lahore DC transmission line, an important power grid project in the CPEC, receives strong support from the Pakistani government. State Grid sincerely hopes that the Pakistani government will as always support the operation and development of State Grid in Pakistan. Under the framework of the CPEC, State Grid will continue to operate the Matiari-Lahore project safely and steadily, actively fulfill its corporate social responsibility, and expand cooperation in more areas in accordance with the consensus reached between the two governments. It will help enhance the China-Pakistan friendship by powering Pakistan’s economic and social development and meeting the Pakistani people’s needs for electricity and a better life.

Wang Shuxiang, Vice President and Director-General of the Administration Office, the head of the Department of International Cooperation, and top executives s of China Electric Power Equipment and Technology Co., Ltd. Also attended the meeting.