Shenzhen (Web Desk/Agencies): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday assuring all-out facilitation to Chinese investors, and security of Chinese individuals, projects and investments in Pakistan, emphasised that mutually rewarding business-to-business cooperation was key to a bright future for the two people.
Addressing the Pakistan-China Business Forum here during his five-day China visit, the premier highlighted bilateral trade and investment potential, especially in key sectors including transfer of Chinese technology, industry and partnership in IT, agriculture, mining, steel, textiles and renewable energy.
PM Shehbaz repeatedly lauded the Chinese model of development and economic transformation and vowed to replicate the same in Pakistan.
“I will go back to Pakistan with this resolve, come what may, we will follow this model of great economic transformation in Pakistan. This model is enough to copy and simulate if we are sincere to our purpose and people. By God, I can tell you this is difficult but not impossible,” the premier told the gathering of hundreds of business leaders from Pakistan and China.
As the Business Forum also marked the B2B matchmaking, he urged the Pakistani businessmen to sit with their Chinese counterparts and find out ways to move Chinese textile industries to Pakistan and make joint collaborations in steel and other industries.
“Today is the opportunity, time and moment to capture. Sit down with Chinese friends to have serious discussions. I want to ensure you not as prime minister but as Chief Executive of Pakistan that I will give you the fullest support so that businessmen of Pakistan and China get benefits jointly,” PM Shehbaz said.
He told the forum that Pakistan has mineral deposits of around $10 trillion while the country’s exports stood at $30 billion. The minerals deposits offer huge potential to dig out and convert them into finished and semi-finished goods for exports.
PM Shehbaz assured the Chinese side that his government had already started structural changes in Pakistan to control corruption.
The prime minister drew a comparison between the $500 billion GDP of the 13-million city of Shenzhen and the $380 billion GDP of Pakistan with 250 million population and called it the Chinese city’s swift transformation a “miracle of this century” and the “eighth wonder of the world” necessitating for others to learn the lesson from.
PM Shehbaz appreciated Chinese President Xi Jinping’s dynamic and visionary leadership which elevated his country to become the second-largest economy and military power within a short span of time and steered 700 million people out of poverty, despite pressures and challenges.
He also recalled that during the decades of 50s or 60s, Pakistan’s economic indicators were better than those of China and called for a collective resolve to regain its stature.
The prime minister also lauded President Xi’s vision of peace and development including the Belt and Road Initiative under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) had benefited Pakistan immensely through huge investment.
Referring to a terror attack on Chinese workers in Besham in the recent past, the prime minister conveyed his condolence for the “dastardly and heart-wrenching” incident and called it “one of the saddest” days of his life when the whole nation felt saddened.
He said that the government had taken various measures to ensure foolproof security to protect the lives of Chinese workers in Pakistan.
“I will spare no effort to protect the lives of Chinese workers and assure and guarantee that we will provide them security more than our children. This will never happen again,” PM Shehbaz assured.