Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry celebrated the 74th founding anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. The ceremony was attended by Acting Consul General of China Cao Ke and LCCI President Kashif Anwar spoke on the occasion while Senior Vice President Zafar Mahmood Chaudhry, Vice President Adnan Khalid Butt, Vice President Pakistan (China) Shandong Chamber of Commerce Chen Qianijang, Vice President Pakistan Chinese Federation He Yubing, Vice President Pakistan Chinese Chamber Chen Qianjiang, President Pakistan Tax Bar Association Rana Munir Hussain and LCCI Executive Committee members were also present. Acting Consul General of China, Cao Ke, emphasized the significance of Lahore as a pivotal city and lauded the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry for its commendable efforts in promoting trade and industry. He expressed a strong desire for knowledge sharing and technology transfer between China and LCCI, highlighting the importance of mutual learning.
Furthermore, Cao Ke noted that this year marks the 10th anniversary of both the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Belt and Road Initiative, along with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China. He underscored CPECs transformative impact on Pakistan’s economy, with a substantial $24.4 billion investment, and said that the ML1 Project will be launched soon. Cao Ke also emphasized the commitment of the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people, and President Xi Jinping in modernizing and socializing China, and said that China is committed to uphold global peace. He pledged continued support for Pakistani businesses, facilitating their participation in events such as the China International Import Expo (CIIE) and the Canton Fair. LCCI President Kashif Anwar said that it has been great honour for all of them to have the opportunity to host very important Chinese business leaders in this event who are not only representing the key business support organizations in Pakistan but also doing excellent job for bringing the business people from both the countries close to each other.
He extended warmest congratulations to all the Chinese friends who celebrated their National Day on 1st October 2023. This day signifies not only the birth of a great nation but also a reminder of their remarkable journey towards making excellent progress in almost all fields of life. “We applaud the achievements and advancements that China has made, serving as an inspiration to other nations across the globe.” The LCCI President said that the diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China began in 1950 which brought two countries very close as dependable strategic allies and trustworthy neighbours. The enduring friendship between Pakistan and China is a cornerstone of our foreign policy. This friendship is based on mutual respect, trust, and a shared vision for social and economic prosperity. “You all will agree with me that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has added great value to these mutual ties,” he added.
He said that the 10th Anniversary of CPEC speaks itself about the collective vision of China and Pakistan whose prime aim is to shift the focus from geo-politics to geo-economics. Pakistan’s strategic location as a crossroads between South Asia, Central Asia, China, and the Middle East is ideal to transform it into a regional hub for trade, commerce, manufacturing, and agriculture, he added. Kashif Anwar said, “We have already witnessed tremendous infrastructure development in recent years on account of numerous projects being carried out under CPEC. We are pinning high hopes on these partnerships which have already laid solid foundation for transfer of technology and transfer of knowledge from China through direct investments and joint ventures in many sectors of economy.” He said that it is paramount responsibility of organizations like Lahore Chamber of Commerce to play an instrumental role in promoting these partnerships which are not only essential for the development and progress of our respective countries but also important for promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and beyond.
