Strengthening economic ties with China
Source : Daily Times Date : April 24, 2013
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ISLAMABAD: Chinese entrepreneurs on Tuesday invited Pakistani businessmen to participate in Kashgar trade fair and other such important events to explore new opportunities for enhancing bilateral trade and investment between the two countries.
“Kashgar Special Economic Zone has attracted a large number of international business community and investors as well as it offers very good opportunities for Pakistani entrepreneurs,” CPC Kashgar Prefectural Committee Deputy Secretary General Li Shui Hua said.
He was leading a delegation of Chinese entrepreneurs, custom officials and representatives of Chinese embassy in Pakistan, which visited Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI).
Hua told the ICCI office bearers that China and Pakistan have unique friendly and time-tested relations.
He said that Kashgar has a unique importance for China due to its geographical location and rapid development adding that it offers great trade opportunities for Pakistan.
Hua said that direct flight between Islamabad and Kashgar would be started in a couple of months which would bring people of both the countries closer to each other.
Speaking on the occasion, ICCI President Zafar Bakhtawari said that relationship between Pakistan and China were based on mutual trust and unanimity of views that were strongly supplemented and supported by the people and businessmen of both the countries.
He said that development of Kashgar city was not only a positive sign for China but also for Pakistan being an important trading hub that provides enormous opportunities of increasing bilateral trade volume between Pakistan and China.
Bakhtawari was of the view that establishment of direct air link between Kashgar and Islamabad would ultimately further improve bilateral relation between China and Pakistan.
He said that establishment of new Guangzhou city on Karakorum Highway near Kashgar city is not only in the best interest of Pakistan but also for Central, South and East Asia.
The ICCI president said that bilateral trade between Pakistan and China was around $12billion which should be increased up to $25billion in coming years because there were tremendous opportunities of enhancing cooperation in various fields between both the countries.
He suggested that a rail link between Kashgar and Islamabad should also be established along with up-gradation of road link between two cities as Pakistan was always keen to deep its relations with China in all areas.
He also informed the Chinese delegation about four-day Pak-China Business Forum which was organised by ICCI, which had provided a platform to Chinese and Pakistani business community for the promotion of mutual trade activates. app
Source: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\04\24\story_24-4-2013_pg5_13