Pakistan to hold roadshows in China to boost export of local products — officials

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will hold roadshows in China to boost export of Pakistani products in Chinese markets, officials said on Monday, amid Islamabad’s push to increase trade.
The statement came at a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to review Chinese investment in Pakistan, during which he was briefed on a visit by a delegation of Chinese experts from July 30 till August 6, according to Sharif’s office.
Officials said the Chinese delegation met representatives of various ministries and significant progress was made in terms of cooperation and investment in the fields of trade and investment, energy, agriculture, information technology and infrastructure.
“Services of Chinese experts will be sought to increase domestic exports and eliminate non-trade barriers,” Sharif’s office quoted officials as saying at the briefing.
“Sectoral roadshows will be organized in different cities of China to increase exports of Pakistani products.”
Since avoiding a default last year, Pakistan has been trying to attract foreign investment and boost trade by leveraging its geostrategic position as a pivotal trade and transit hub.
In recent months, there has been a flurry of visits, investment talks, and economic activity between Pakistan, China and Central Asian states, including Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
During Monday’s meeting, officials said they had so far received 572 applications from Pakistani students and research scholars who sought training in the field of agriculture in China as part of a recent Pakistani government initiative.
The prime minister directed authorities to give equal representation to all provinces in the training, according to his office. He gave the directives to form a committee, led by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, to ensure transparent selection of students and research scholars in this regard.
Earlier this month, Sharif emphasized the need to bolster Pakistan-China relations in diverse sectors, including agriculture, mines and minerals, information technology and infrastructure. He was addressing a meeting with representatives of foreign companies working in Pakistan, including a large number of Chinese businesspersons, according to Pakistani state media.
Sharif said Pakistan’s economy largely relied on agriculture and it was time for them to exploit the sector to its full potential and open new ventures in value-added services.