CPEC: Science and Technology Cooperation

As part of CPEC, the two countries signed an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement, as well as pledged to “China-Pakistan Joint Cotton Bio-Tech Laboratory”. The two countries also pledged to establish the “China-Pakistan Joint Marine Research Center” with State Oceanic Administration and Pakistan’s Ministry of Science and Technology. Also as part of the CPEC agreement, Pakistan and China have agreed to co-operate in the field of space research.

In February 2016, the two countries agreed to establish the “Pak-China Science, Technology, Commerce and Logistic Park” near Islamabad at an estimated cost of $1.5 billion. The park will be situated on 500 hectares, which will be provided by Pakistan to China’s Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, with all investments expected to come from the Chinese side over the course of ten years.

In May 2016, construction began on the $44 million 820 kilometer long Pakistan-China Fiber Optic Project, an optical fiber cable that will enhance telecommunication in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, while offering Pakistan a fifth route by which to transmit telecommunication traffic.