ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari has invited one of China’s largest industrial groups to expand investment in the country’s energy, industrial and agricultural sectors, his office said on Wednesday, as Islamabad seeks foreign capital to support growth and modernize key parts of the economy.
Pakistan’s energy sector continues to struggle with high costs, electricity shortages and mounting debt, while agriculture, a major source of jobs and exports, faces growing pressure from water shortages and climate-related stress.
China is Pakistan’s largest investor and a key strategic partner, having pledged more than $65 billion in infrastructure, transport and energy projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship component of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.
“President Asif Ali Zardari met Mr. Wang Jian, CEO of Hangzhou Jinjiang Group, and encouraged the company to expand its footprint in Pakistan, particularly in energy, industrial and agricultural sectors,” the President’s Secretariat said in a statement.
The meeting took place during Zardari’s ongoing five-day visit to China, where he is holding meetings focused on strengthening trade and investment cooperation with Pakistan’s largest investor and longtime strategic ally.
During the discussions, Zardari highlighted opportunities in water treatment, electric vehicle battery systems and renewable energy, sectors seen as critical for sustainable industrial growth. He also offered the Chinese company facilitation through public-private partnerships backed by the government in Sindh province, which is led by his Pakistan Peoples Party.
According to the statement, Hangzhou Jinjiang Group is already involved in multiple projects in Pakistan and ranks among China’s top 100 business groups, with interests spanning heavy industry, fertilizer, oil and gas, coal gasification, renewable energy, agriculture and irrigation.
