The continuous development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will promote bilateral interaction and benefit future generations in the two countries, according to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. The president made the remarks in a recent interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) when asked about his expectations for the "version 2.0" upgrade of the CPEC, which promises a shift in focus from infrastructure to industrial cooperation, agriculture, socio-economic development, and information technology. The CPEC, launched in 2013 as the flagship of the Belt and Road Initiative, has seen substantial progress over the years and moved from blueprints to power plants and ports. It profoundly transformed Pakistan's economic landscape, reshaping the country's connectivity, energy security and development outlook while deepening its strategic partnership with China. Gwadar, once a quiet fishing town, has steadily evolved into Pakistan's maritime gateway. The port and its surrounding infrastructure, supported by grant-based Chinese projects, are reshaping the socio-economic landscape of Balochistan. The CPEC's transport infrastructure has connected the country like never before. Eight major projects worth 6.7 billion U.S. dollars have already added 888 kilometers of modern highways and motorways, while another 853 km are under construction. The Karakoram Highway, also known as the China–Pakistan Friendship Highway, connects northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region with Pakistan's Punjab Province, joining in a highway network that can ultimately reach the Gwadar Port in the country's southern part. Shotlist: Urumqi City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest China - Recent FILE: Islamabad, Pakistan - Date Unknown: 1. Aerial shot of national flag of Pakistan; 2. Aerial shot of cityscape; Urumqi City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest China - Recent 3. SOUNDBITE (English) Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistani President (ending with shots 4-11): "We are the closest port to China, so that port, one day, the generations to come, they will thank the Chinese people and Pakistani people [for having thought about building] that port. That port will be the closest link you have to China. We will have more interaction because, like I said, we can drive down to each other's countries. Not many countries could say they can drive down to China. In our case, we can drive down to you, and you can drive down to us. So it [CPEC] is a great, futuristic concept."; FILE: Gwadar, Pakistan - Date Unknown 4. Aerial shots of port; FILE: Gwadar, Pakistan - 2023 5. Aerial shot of port, boat on water; FILE: Gwadar, Pakistan - January 2023 6. Container being hoisted up; 7. Cargo ship at port; FILE: Islamabad, Pakistan - Date Unknown 8. National flags of Pakistan, China; FILE: Multan, Pakistan - 2023 9. Various of highway, traffic, road signs; FILE: Pakistan - Date Unknown 10. Aerial shots of Karakoram highway, traffic; FILE: Multan, Pakistan - 2023 11. Aerial shots of Peshawar-Karachi Motorway (PKM), vehicles moving; FILE: Islamabad, Pakistan - Date Unknown 12. Bilingual sign reading "Long Live Pak-China Friendship". [Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]