Chinese Metallurgical Construction Corporation (MCC) has offered investment for revamping and expansion of Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM). The offer was conveyed by a six-member MCC delegation headed by its Vice President Yang Mingde during its meeting with federal Industries, Production and Special Initiatives Minister Jahangir Khan Tareen here on Tuesday.
An official handout issued here said the delegation gave a detailed presentation to the minister on MCC activities.
The head of the visiting delegation informed the minister that the MCC is a large state-owned corporation of China which has undertaken construction of a number of strategic steel production bases such as Boasteel Complex of Shanghai and Anshan Steel Works.
He said that the MCC has also strong capability, techniques and experiences in rehabilitating and revamping old iron and steel plants.
Welcoming the offer, the minister said that Pakistan was pursuing a liberal industrial policy which aimed at to attract investment through joint collaboration by creating an investor-friendly environment, with a focus on further opening up the economy and marketing potential for foreign direct investment.
Tareen asked the Chinese company to also invest in other sectors for which the Government of Pakistan would provide all facilities and technical support to them.
He said that the MCC should also invest in the exploration and exploitation of iron ores/minerals in Pakistan.
He said that the Industries and Production Ministry would identify six sites within a week where iron ore deposits exists, but have not been exploited due to there low grading or being deep-seated in the ground.
Tareen said that due to increase in the prices of steel in world market, it has now been possible to exploit these previously uneconomical ore deposits. He said these issues would be discussed in the forthcoming visit of Prime Minster Shaukat Aziz to China.
Yang Mingde appreciated Pakistan's economic reforms. He said that Pakistan now offers great incentives and conducive environment for investment.-PR