Dr. Gohar Ejaz, the Minister of Commerce & Industry received the Jiang Zaidong, the Ambassador of China to Pakistan for a meeting to discuss Pakistan-China Economic cooperation especially in fields of trade and Investment on Thursday.
The focus of the discussions revolved around the implementation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which has now entered its second stage.
Dr. Ejaz informed the Ambassador that the first phase of CPEC is at an advanced age at inter governmental level which has helped Pakistan to develop the infrastructure, road network, power plants to meet energy needs, and now the time has come for the private sectors of both countries to gear up to realise the benefits of the ground that has been prepared by the two governments.
Minister Gohar Ejaz, heralded the start of a new relationship initiated by consensus between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar on the second stage of CPEC.
He urged the Chinese private sector to invest in Pakistan, with particular attention to SEZs in Lahore and Karachi. He also informed the Ambassador that he met the Ambassador Shazu Kang, President of Pak China Friendship Association, in China and they also agreed that this was the way forward.
Minister Ejaz highlighted the importance of private sector collaboration as the next step in strengthening the Pak-China relationship, revealing plans for the development of a Northern SEZ to link Urumqi with Pakistan and the availability of the Lahore and Karachi SEZs for further development.
