ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi met honorary investment councilors (HIC) this week to review their role in advancing trade and people-to-people linkages, urging them to mobilize investments from Beijing in Islamabad’s export-oriented sectors, the Press Information Department (PID) said. 

Pakistan views China as an important strategic ally and investment partner, which has funneled billions of dollars into the country under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) energy and infrastructure project for over a decade.

China is also Pakistan’s largest trading partner, with its exports to Pakistan surging from $16.67 billion in 2023 to $19.62 billion in 2024, as per official data. 

Hashmi held private meetings with HICs in China on Monday and a working luncheon to take stock of their work, strengthen coordination and set priorities for 2026, the PID said in a press release. 

“He encouraged them to synergize their efforts with Pakistan’s national development priorities and mobilize Chinese investments in export-oriented sectors of Pakistan,” the statement said. 

The Pakistani ambassador urged the HICs to prioritize channeling investments in 21 priority sectors of the economy through joint ventures to boost productive capacities, calling on them to integrate investments with human capital development. 

Hashmi informed the HICs that the two business-to-business investment conferences held in Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Beijing, as well as six sectoral investment roadshows since last year cumulatively yielded the signing of over 300 memoranda of understanding and 25 joint ventures worth $11 billion.

“The HICs welcomed the initiative to convene focused annual review by the ambassador, marking the beginning of an institutionalized engagement with the HICs,” the press release said.

“They shared their plans for 2026 and expressed resolve to lend their full support to the embassy’s economic diplomacy agenda, especially the enhancement of Chinese investments in Pakistan and an increase in Pakistani exports to China, while boosting bilateral cooperation in these mutually beneficial areas.”