ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday expressed hope that Pakistan China Business and Investment Forum would play a proactive role in further strengthening the relations between the two countries.
Addressing the first meeting of Pakistan China Business Investment Forum, he said he is optimistic that this forum would be very proactive in building relations between the two very friendly and brotherly countries.
He said that today he would be leaving for visit to China and look forward to meeting Chinese leaders to have very productive meeting with visionary leadership of China to further enhance business, strategic and cultural relations between the two countries.
He said he strongly believe that China Pakistan Economic corridor (CPEC) has been a game changer in building the two countries’ business relations and billions of dollars’ investment under CPEC has already been committed by Chinese companies.
PM foresees further deepening of strategic ties
As a result of CPEC Pakistan has been able to escape massive load shedding during those years when the country was facing 20-hour power outages.
He said that industry and agriculture were able to come back into life as 20-hour power outages at that point in time had crippled Pakistan economy. Thus CPEC has been a game changer, he added.
Sharif said that now it is a time to build business-to-business relations between the two countries for which there is huge potential, adding that it is very important to understand that China being the second largest economy in the world and now one of the largest investors in Pakistan provides an opportunity to advance Pakistan export to China and import from China. He said that this can be happened by relocating Chinese labour-intensive industry in special economic zone and Pakistan still being cheaper can make production of goods which can be re-exported to china and other countries.
He said that this would be a win-win situation for Chinese and Pakistani business houses. He further stated that in agriculture the two countries can cooperate in a big way as Chinese modern technology can increase Pakistan’s per acre yield which would be very helpful for Pakistan agri industry and then based on Pakistan agri production, in the rural areas we can install ago-based industrial houses.
The prime minister said that that agri production can be converted into industrial parts and can be exported to Middle East and other part of the world.
The premier directed the minister for planning and chairman BOI, as well as, other relevant officials to the initiatives to move forward and create a win-win position for Chinese and Pakistan businessmen.
He also thanked China for being largest donors for flood affected people of Pakistan and dispatching important items for flood affected people.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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