Pakistan-China Business Forum:

Kunming City of Yunnan to promote economic ties

Mr. Tariq Sayeed, Vice President Confederation of Asia Pacific Chambers of Commerce & Industry (CACCI) inaugurated Pakistan-China Business Forum at Kunming city of Yunnan Province, China. The Forum was organized by Trade Development Authority of Pakistan with assistance of Consulate General of Pakistan in China, which aimed at further promoting economic ties between two friendly nations.

In his inaugural speech Mr. Sayeed identified enormous areas of mutual cooperation and particularly insisted upon the Government and the Private Sector of China to consider investment in Pakistan through joint ventures. He reiterated the need for relocation of Chinese industries to Pakistan while arguing that it would help create job opportunities and enable these units to create surplus for re-exporting to China as a remedy to bridge chronic trade deficit of Pakistan in trade with China.

He termed the B-2-B Meeting as a proactive initiative of TDAP and hoped that it would help forging new business alliances between Pakistani and Chinese enterprises. He added that such initiatives would help achieving bilateral trade target of $ 12 billion by end of 2012.

The Director General, Ministry of Commerce, Government of Yunnan while addressing to the Forum said that the Government of Yunnan had undertaken strategic planning for South Asian countries particularly for Pakistan, which has been the oldest friend of Pakistan. He said that South Asian Commodities Trade Fair has been successful in promoting South Asian products in China and thus help reduce trade deficit faced by their respect countries. He added that, China was the 2nd largest import nation of the World and the neighboring South Asian countries particularly Pakistan should take fullest advantage to make niche in our market.

Mr. Tariq Puri, CEO Trade Development Authority of Pakistan in his keynote speech highlighted the trade potential of Pakistan and invited Chinese enterprises to invest in the areas of energy, infrastructural development, agro-processing, Science & Technology. He said that the political relations between China and Pakistan are time-tested but they should also be reflected in terms of size of bilateral trade.

The representatives of over 75 Chinese enterprises participated in the Forum while more than 50 Pakistani and Chinese enterprises attended B-2-B meetings.