ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Commerce, Dr Gohar Ijaz, held a series of fruitful meetings with prominent Chinese business and investment groups during the 3rd Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, aiming to strengthen economic ties between Pakistan and China and exploring investment opportunities.
According to a press release, Dr Ejaz met with Wang Zihai, Director of China-Pakistan (Qingdao) International Cooperation Hub, focusing on potential investments in civilian and defense equipment, EV Lithium batteries, solar panels, and semiconductors. The minister emphasised the pivotal role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in facilitating such opportunities.
In another meeting with Li Yiman, Chairperson of Eman Logistics, focused on expanding Pakistan’s digital presence on Chinese platforms through the launch of the “Pakistan National Pavilion.” Dr Ejaz assured complete support for this digital diplomacy initiative.
The minister also engaged with Jin Weidong, President of Wellhope, a leading Chinese agri-producer, highlighting the immense prospects in Pakistan’s agricultural, poultry, and meat sectors. The meeting emphasised the potential for a mutually beneficial partnership leveraging Wellhope’s expertise in smart farming and meat processing.
During discussions with Wang Guidong of Donghua Group, the focus was on Pakistan Steel Mills’ privatisation and the government’s commitment to the process, with the SIFC playing a vital role in bolstering these efforts.
The minister also had a productive working lunch with representatives from MCC, a key player in the Saindak Copper-Gold Project, discussing ways to expand collaboration and benefit from MCC’s expertise.
Dr Gohar also explored possibilities for enhancing Pakistan’s grains and food exports to China during his visit to COFCO, a leading global food procurement agency, inviting them to establish their regional office in Pakistan as a hub of its global value chain and storage network, with support from SIFC.
The minister’s interactions with other prominent Chinese enterprises and organisations, including Shandong Xinxu Group, ADM Group, China National Agriculture Development, China National Fisheries Corp, Tianjin Meat Association, and CNAGS, also underscored the commitment to collaborative efforts in various sectors, such as mining, trade, hospitality, construction, EV infrastructure, agriculture, and rice sourcing. Dr Ejaz assured compliance with China’s export standards and prompt processing plant setup upon approval for exports.
In a separate meeting with BYD, a global leader in electric vehicles (EVs), discussions revolved around investment prospects in Pakistan and the supportive policies of the government, with a special emphasis on the role of SIFC. -PR
