LAHORE: On the 6th day of her 08-day long China visit, Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif announced the establishment of a working group, the appointment of a focal person and the establishment of a help desk while chairing a roundtable investment conference in Guangzhou, which was attended by officials of more than 60 prominent companies from China and Hong Kong.
Representatives of leading Chinese companies in the fields of health, Artificial Intelligence, agriculture, information technology, waste management, solar energy and other sectors gave detailed presentations on their institutions. She also reviewed various suggestions and recommendations for the promotion of Pak-China free trade.
The Chief Minister invited the Chinese technology companies to start operations in Punjab. Responding to her invitation, Chinese technology companies expressed keen interest in investing in Punjab. She vowed to facilitate them through one-window operation.
She declared Punjab a “Land of Opportunity” for the Chinese companies. She thanked them for participating in the investment conference, and gave them a detailed briefing on the economic, geographical and business importance of Punjab.
Representatives of the Chinese companies appreciated the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, and appreciated her launch of no-plastic campaign in Punjab.
The Chief Minister said, “We have launched ‘No to Plastic’ campaign in Punjab to protect the environment. We have imposed a ban on the sale, purchase and production of plastic that affects the environment.”
She said, “The arrival of officials from Chinese companies even on holiday is very encouraging for us.”
She added, “The zero-waste mission has started under ‘Suthra Punjab’, and we will welcome the support and cooperation of Chinese companies in this regard. Punjab is also starting a project to convert waste into renewable energy.”
She said, “Mechanization is being carried out to take the agriculture on the path of innovation. Focus is being given to windmills, solar energy and renewable energy sources to obtain cheap electricity. Reforms are being introduced in the industry to improve the ecosystem. Demand for solar energy is continuously increasing in Punjab. A mega project for solarization has been launched in Punjab. We will welcome the collaboration of Chinese companies in the solarization project.”
She added, “The agriculture sub-sectors of automation manufacturing, food processing and hybrid seed development will be made possible through collaboration with the Chinese companies. We want to utilize valuable asset of young industrial human resources in Punjab. We intend to start using bio and hydrogen technology.”
The Chief Minister said, “Innovation in the IT sector is need of the hour. Punjab will welcome investment in e-commerce, incubator centres, and e-learning. Nawaz Sharif wants to make IT City state-of-the-art, Chinese companies can invest here.”
She noted, “Response of the Chinese investors to promote Pak-China relations is encouraging. Pakistan is a gateway to Central Asia, the Middle East and other countries. Pakistan is a valuable part of the global trade route.”
She said, “Telemedicine technique will benefit from China’s health system.” She added, “Agriculture can be revolutionized through nanotechnology. We want to introduce water-efficient irrigation system in Punjab. This is the best time for the Chinese companies to take advantage of business opportunities in Punjab.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024