Pak-China boost agricultural cooperation under CPEC: Commercial Counsellor

BEIJING – Pakistan and China are enhancing agricultural cooperation under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) while Pakistan is ready to become food basket for China, Commercial Counsellor, Pakistan Embassy Beijing, Ghulam Qadir said.
He made these remarks while addressing International Forum on Development and Investment of Modern Supply Chain of Food on sidelines of 2022 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) held here. Ghulam Qadir pointed out that rice export from Pakistan registered phenomenal growth in the last decade, adding, “In 2010 Pakistan’s exports of rice to China were only 3,000 MT but now Pakistan is exporting nearly one million MT rice annually.” He expressed the confidence that Pakistan had a potential to become a food basket of China, by utilising its fertile and vast arable land. Pakistan, he said, was looking forward to enhancing the bilateral food supply chain and agricultural cooperation by using China’s latest technologies and methods. “We are looking forward to China’s investment and technology transfer for agricultural modernisation and better productivity in Pakistan. We will also enhance our bilateral trade by using the latest methods like e-commerce and online platforms,” he added.
Ghulam Qadir attended opening ceremony held on August 31 as well as participated in several activities including signing ceremony of Royal Group and JW Group, Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Roundtable Seminar on Digital Trade with relevant organisations and summit Forum on China’s International Economic Cooperation “Going Global”. More than 120 companies and organisations, such as well-known law firms, leading asset evaluation agencies, large business service providers in China and abroad, and national-level human resources industrial parks are attending the exhibition online and offline.
Among them, many are the world’s top 500 firms and leading companies in their respective industries. The five-day supply chain and business services exhibition of the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) featuring renowned Chinese and international business service providers and their achievements in innovation will conclude today (September 5).
Pakistan Pavilion set up in China Int’l Fair for Trade in Services
A Pakistan National Pavilion being set up in the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) for the first time, China Economic Net (CEN) reported on Sunday.
The 2022 CIFTIS witnessed the flourishing business of these Pakistani merchants. With this platform, they are logging their growing appetite for the Chinese market. “How about this necklace? It’s more stunning than the former one. Yep dear all from Pakistan! Quality ones!” In front of the Pakistani jewelry stall stands a Chinese buyer who is in a video call with his wife, holding his mobile phone to shoot the gems shining in the booth.”
“It’s the very first time I participate in CIFTIS. This year we are looking to understand more about the Beijing market,” Pakistani jeweler Aqeel Ahmed Chaudhry told CEN. He is also the founder of WINZA from Pakistani gemstone firm Cosmo Enterprises Pvt Ltd.
Shanghai, the first stop for this Pakistani brand to shine in China, nourished its business and now, next destination – “next year we plan to open our next retail store in Beijing.”
Muhammad Kamil Khan, CEO of Pak Link Enterprises, has been participating in the fair for two consecutive years. He told the reporter that his stall to showcase high-end Pakistani handicrafts is much bigger than last year. For the 2022 CIFTIS he applied for two stalls in different exhibition areas to exhibit quality onyx handicrafts and wood carving handicrafts to Chinese customers. Khan, who has been in the industry since 2012, got his own key to success. “Our design is specially made for Chinese customers, and they like it a lot,” he said. Likewise, Chaudhry, who has been living in China for more than a decade, knows it well when it comes to doing business in China. “We are cooperating with Chinese e-commerce giants like Tmall and Jingdong to make our way in Shanghai. I think digital payment is the future of payments in China.” “There are many countries coming to this fair and showcasing their most influential products and services, so I reckon it a good chance to explore more in the Chinese market,” Aqeel Ahmed Chaudhry further said, adding that he expects more bilateral cooperation in the coming future.