Chinese Consul General Lauds Pakistan’s Textile Sector, Calls for B2B Expansion

LAHORE – In a major development aimed at enhancing bilateral economic ties, the Chinese Consulate General and the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) leadership on Tuesday agreed to upscale bilateral trade, tap into China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (FTA) advantages, and explore opportunities for joint ventures in Pakistan’s textile industry.

A high-level delegation from the Chinese Consulate, including Consul General Mr. Zhao Shiren, Commercial Counsellor Mr. Li Haoteng, and Vice Consul Mr. Wang Yaqiang, visited the APTMA office where they were warmly welcomed by Patron-in-Chief Dr. Gohar Ejaz, Chairman Kamran Arshad, and members of the Zonal Management Committee. Leading textile exporters and APTMA officials, including Secretary Generals Shahid Sattar and Mohammad Raza Baqir, also participated in the meeting.

In his remarks, Mr. Zhao Shiren praised the long-standing economic and cultural relations between China and Pakistan, with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a flagship example. He appreciated APTMA’s pivotal role, particularly that of Dr. Gohar Ejaz, in advancing bilateral commercial cooperation.

The Consul General emphasized that over 800 tariff lines of textile goods, under customs chapters 50 to 63, currently enjoy duty-free status for import into China from Pakistan under the FTA. He encouraged Pakistani exporters to capitalize on the Phase-II liberalizations of the FTA implemented in 2020, offering assistance with visas, business delegations, and trade exhibitions.

Zhao also welcomed the idea of a Pakistani textile delegation visiting China for business-to-business (B2B) engagements, expressing optimism that such exchanges would significantly uplift bilateral textile trade and investment.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Gohar Ejaz highlighted the “iron-clad” diplomatic and economic partnership between the two nations and noted that Pakistan’s competitive edge, including low wages, improved energy costs, and tax reforms, makes it an ideal destination for Chinese textile investment. He proposed sending a 10-member Pakistani delegation to China for strategic B2B meetings.

He also revealed that a 1,000-acre industrial estate is being developed in the private sector in Lahore with plug-and-play facilities for Chinese partners, adding that such collaborations could help elevate Pakistan’s global textile exports from $18 billion to $100 billion within the $900 billion global market.

Earlier, Chairman Kamran Arshad delivered a presentation on Pakistan’s textile potential, underscoring the sector’s vertically integrated value chain from ginning to garmenting. He elaborated on investment incentives in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) under CPEC, including tax and duty exemptions on machinery and raw material imports.

Kamran also encouraged Chinese manufacturers to relocate to Pakistan’s garment cities and leverage lower US tariffs on Pakistani-origin products, especially in light of increasing US-China trade friction. He cited a recent proposal by the Punjab Government to the China Chamber of Commerce for Import & Export of Textiles (CCCT) and requested the Consulate’s support in following up.

The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to strengthen B2B ties, maximize FTA benefits, and deepen economic engagement between the two strategic partners.