"Following the outbreak of the coronavirus, China and Pakistan have united as one to overcome challenges posed by COVID-19, and push forward the CPEC. We have not withdrawn or laid off employees at the project, and we have not halted our work," Chinese FM spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a news briefing on Wednesday, noting the CPEC has achieved visible progress, providing strong support for Pakistan in combatting the pandemic and stabilizing its economy. 

The Matiari-Lahore high-voltage direct current transmission line, one of the key projects under the CPEC, was recently completed. Wang said it will further improve electricity supply in Pakistan. Following a five-year construction period, Pakistan's first ever metro train service started its operating in October in Lahore, a milestone of the country. 

In December, the Gwadar port in Pakistan, one of the key projects within the economic corridor, had processed 26,000 tons of fertilizer which would be transshipped to Afghanistan, according to Wang. It has hit a record of unloading 22,000 tons of fertilizer over four days. 

The spokesperson said that China will join with Pakistan to press forward the building of the CPEC. "Based on the construction and operation of our current programs, we will focus on improving people's livelihoods, industrial and agricultural cooperation, and make the CPEC a model under the Belt and Road Initiative to benefit the people in both countries, and across the region," Wang added