Underscoring the challenges that both sides are facing in deepening the economic ties,  China has not agreed to further expand cooperation in areas of energy, water management, and climate change under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Moreover, Islamabad gave up its opposition to setting up a new imported coal-fired power plant in Gwadar and also agreed to a number of Chinese demands to address Beijing’s concerns, the signed minutes of the 11th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) of the CPEC showed, reported The Express Tribune.

Although, the JCC meeting was held in Oct 2022, its minutes were signed on July 31, highlighting the difference of opinions on both sides that led to almost a year’s delay in reaching a consensus.

The details showed China could not agree to host measures which Pakistan had proposed in the areas of energy, water management, climate change and tourism in Giglit-Baltistan (G-B), Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and the coastal areas.

The final draft shared with Beijing by Pakistan and the final minutes signed by both the sides were different in many ways. The CPEC minutes had been signed on July 31 during the visit of the Chinese vice premier, Ahsan Iqbal, former planning minister in the PDM government, was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

The JCC is a strategic decision-making body of CPEC and its 11th meeting was held virtually on Oct 27, 2022 on the insistence of the PML-N led government that wanted to showcase some progress.

China excluded cooperation in the areas of cross-border tourism in G-B, K-P and AJK and cooperation for promotion of coastal tourism from the final minutes of the 11th JCC, the details showed, the newspaper reported.