Zafaruddin Mahmood， Pakistan's special envoy on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor， gives interview to China Daily reporter on May 14, 2017. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Zafaruddin Mahmood, Pakistan's Special Envoy on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

President Xi Jinping's keynote speech has shown China's firm support to the Belt and Road Initiative. Besides addressing the concept, Xi has further broadened the areas of cooperation under the initiative. He has also promised to inject more funds into the Silk Road Fund and create more opportunities for people to receive different trainings, which means I can help Pakistan to join more projects under the initiative and do more for the development of Pakistan.

As Xi said in his speech, the initiative is about peace and common development. At the beginning, many had doubts about the initiative and feared that it could be China's move to increase its political influence. Now, such misunderstandings have been gradually eliminated.

I have known about China's and Pakistan's close relationship since I was a child. This relationship has been maintained no matter the changes in our government, because China doesn't interfere with our domestic issues. It (China) just wants to help Pakistan improve people's lives and speed up economic development.