One of China's top power sector bosses has said that China's interest in Pakistan is focused on sustainable development — not profit, Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday.

“We come to Pakistan not for the installation of our equipment and to gain profits. We pay more importance to improving the development of local high-end manufacturing industries so as to make the development sustainable," said Wang Binghua, the chairman of China Power International, a major stakeholder in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Mr. Binghua added, "We also try to group more local communities into our project to dispel their worries.”

He was speaking at Hub, Balochistan during the groundbreaking ceremony of a coal-fired power plant, one of the "priority projects" under CPEC. Mr Binghua's power enterprise is constructing and investing in the $2 billion project along with Pakistan’s Hub Power Company Ltd. The plant is expected to be operational in August 2019.

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He made promises of increased employment and training for graduates, saying the project will enroll Pakistani graduates.

"If they leave the Hub plant, they will likely get another opportunity in other plants. It will make this industry in Pakistan more sustainable,” said Mr. Binghua.

Mr. Binghua said the power plant will:

generate about 9 billion kWh of electricity annually

create 10,000 jobs for locals

be operational in August 2019

The new Hub coal-fired power plant in Balochistan would benefit both the people and government after its completion in 2019 in mitigating the power outages and help move the wheel of the economy

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Promises of Hub power plant

Mr Binghua said the Hub coal-fired plant will allow locals to enjoy cheaper electricity, adding that "about 4 million Pakistani families will benefit" when it is running.

“No country can rely on only one sort of energy," he said, adding that coal, gas, solar plants along with wind and bio-energy should be utilised in order to guarantee a country's energy security.

'Hub plant will be environment-friendly'

Mr. Binghua said his company is paying close attention to five areas for the Hub plant: safety, operation reliability, environment-friendly standard, economy and adjustability.

"I’m confident to say that we are providing an excellent and responsible service to Pakistan since all of the equipment to be used in the project is top class globally,” the Chinese entrepreneur said.

The SPIC chairman emphasised that although the Hub project is a coal-fired power plant, emission curbing will be used in the complex to meet "local or even stricter legislation" on coal-fired power plants.

He explained that sensing devices installed on top of chimneys on the Hub plant will detect data regarding chemicals such as sulphur-dioxide or nitric-oxide in waste gas. The data will then be sent to the local environmental department for evaluation.

He added that his company has plans to construct a cement factory nearby to utilise wasted dust produced by the power plant.

“I asked to open this plant to the Pakistani public after its completion so that the local people could experience for themselves the eco-friendliness of our coal fire plant," he said, expressing confidence in his company's efforts to make it safe.