ISLAMABAD: More than 70 local businesses have expressed interest in collaborating with Chinese firms planning to shift their industrial units to Pakistan, according to a briefing given to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a meeting on Saturday to review progress on bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
The meeting was a continuation of the prime minister’s five-day visit to China last month, during which he interacted with investors and participated in wide-ranging business-to-business engagements.
Sharif also met top Chinese leaders, including President Xi Jinping, and discussed the possibility of enhancing cooperation under the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Apart from that, he visited Chinese agricultural zones and reached an understanding to send Pakistani students interested in learning advanced techniques to increase crop yield amid mounting concerns related to climate change.
“A comprehensive roadmap for the transfer of Chinese industries to Pakistan was presented to the meeting,” said a briefing given to the prime minister according to an official statement released after the meeting. “Collaboration with Chinese companies will be established to transfer Chinese textile, medical and surgical instruments, plastic and leather industries to Pakistan.”
“Seventy-eight Pakistani companies have initially expressed deep interest in collaborating to transfer Chinese industries to the country,” it added.
Sharif was also told that a comprehensive plan to send 1,000 students to China for advanced agricultural training at government expense had been completed.
“The first batch of students will be sent to China at the start of this academic year,” the statement said. “The next batch will be sent to China’s advanced agricultural universities after learning the Chinese language in Pakistan for which the plan has been completed.”
The prime minister said that China was a long-standing friend that had always helped Pakistan in difficult times.
“The Chinese leadership is committed to further increasing investment in Pakistan,” he continued. “The transfer of Chinese industries to Pakistan will improve the national economy, create new employment opportunities and increase Pakistan’s exports.”
